Struggle
by SignsofSam
Summary: When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive? Eight: 6.14.09
1. Prologue

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not own OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Notes:** And here we go again...second time uploading this; hope it goes better than the last time! The prologue and first four chapters (for those who actually read them) are just about the same, but the fifth will be different.

**Prologue: The Night the Lights Went Out**

_"The fearless are merely fearless. People who act in spite of their fear are truly brave."_**-James A. Lafond-Lewis**

"Mom, I'm home."

He laughed subtlety in his mind, tossing his gym bag down to the small hidden space beneath the large stairwell, slipping his shoes off and kicking them to the same spot. If there was one thing Deborah Lee-Wells hated, it was having her son's shoes all over her nice, pristine house. She hated having anything in her nice, pristine house that would possibly tar it's nice, pristine image.

Nathan rolled his eyes as they traveled across the counter of the bar in the kitchen; it had been his first destination after entering the house. Two bottles sat uncapped, his stepfather's prized Merlot and Scotch. Oh, he fathomed the reason as to why Aston Wells' invaluable liquor was opened and sitting out, a treat for the public, and not locked away with the other valuables, the diamonds and jewels and money that ass-wipe had dangled in front of his mother in order to get her to marry him.

Or maybe she did it out of love.

He highly doubted that. And his first theory. If anything, Deb had used her beguiling ways to get in good with the old rich guy so that she could partake in some of his richness.

What a lovely mother to have.

He put the crystal tops back on the crystal bottles, setting them in their proper place so it would be one less thing Aston could bitch at him for. His relationship with Aston was extremely tarnished, if not completely dead, for the simple fact that Aston was a moron who thought Nathan was a no good bastard-child who should be sent to boarding school in the most remote part of the Swiss Alps and be completely forgotten about until he reached the proper age to be matriculated into the Wells' company as some over-paid brat VP who, in all actuality, did nothing to earn his living.

It was a heavy load for any sixteen-year-old.

He went up the stairs, opening the door to his room, the huge, cold room he'd trade in for that well-used bedroom he stayed in when he got to stay with his father. Talk about another strained relationship. He loved his father; he was connected to his father, and his father understood him, but because of his mother's many manipulative attempts to win sole custody of _her_ son, their relationship was practically nonexistent.

"Mom?" he called again, turning on the hall light, finding it odd that it was turned off-his mother hated darkness. She refused to keep her house dark, despite the overbearing electric bill. He returned to his room, grabbing the baseball bat he kept by his bed.

He turned, but never got a chance to swing. The only sound heard was that of a body falling to the ground, a thud and then the scraping of heels as the body was pulled.

**----Struggle----**

"Sorry, kid."

When did psychopathic killers _actually_ apologize for tying you up in a chair that faced the bed where your mother was dead and your stepfather was looking on in terror and fear? Nathan bit back the comment as he came to, trying to quickly appraise the situation. His mind was foggy, his vision doubled, but he had a faint idea that there were at least two killers in the room-the one in front of him, tying his legs to the chair, seemed small and wiry, too small to carry his hundred-eighty pound frame down the twenty feet of hallway to the master suite. He could feel the blood dripping down his neck, staining the skin on his back, and he wondered how bad of a concussion he might have.

"Shut up, Ernie, and hurry up. I wanna get this taken care of so we can get paid." Ah. Nathan wondered the motive-probably one of Aston's business deals gone wrong.

"You realize he doesn't even like me?" It was the first time that Nathan spoke, and he made sure his voice would function properly before he opened his mouth. "Now my mother, he loved-she was the perfect gold-digging trophy wife that would make his competitors green with envy. Me he wanted to ship off to boarding school in Switzerland."

"Shut up, Nathan," Aston said coldly, glancing at the menacing face of the man behind his pain-in-the-ass stepson. "Don't tell these SOBs anything!" That earned Nathan a smack across the back of his head, another pounding bruise to add to his repertoire. He bit back a sarcastic comment, glaring at Aston. His face dropped when he saw his mother, and he tried to look away. He didn't want to think about her-about that-right now. He wanted to get out of this situation alive. Soon enough, the small guy was done and the other one stepped out in front of Nathan, pushing his chair to rest against a wall, pinning his hands tightly behind him. He started working the ropes, figuring out how they were tied, if he could get them undone.

"Can…" He stopped talking as both men turned to him, anger and hate and revenge clearly in their eyes. "…can I ask why you decided to kill my mother?"

"Had nothing really to do with her. Or you, for that matter, pipsqueak. More for the fact that he-" The big one gestured toward Aston- "did something fairly shitty to a client, and now the client is making him pay."

Nathan nodded, closing his eyes as he heard the safety being pulled back. He wondered how long it'd take someone to find the bodies-if they ever would. He wondered briefly if someone would tell his father that he did in fact love him, despite some words that were said the last time Nathan saw him.

He winced against the deafening sound of a gunshot, opening his eyes as he saw Aston slump on top of his mother. His eyes widened, and he couldn't help the tears that started down his pale cheeks. His breathing suddenly labored, and he could feel himself starting to shake, the onslaught of hyperventilation.

And why would murderers untie him to save his life if they only wanted to kill him? He thought vaguely as he felt his body being pushed to the floor, hearing the smaller man tell him to breathe.

He kicked his foot up, striking the man in the jaw. The bigger man with the gun took aim, and Nathan dived for his feet, hearing the crackling of the shot and feeling the bullet pierce his side. But, he managed to get the man down.

And because he was faster, he was up first, hearing the man's footsteps as he slipped down the stairs. He hid in the space beneath the stairs, holding his breath and his gasps of pain and silently thanking his mother for that spot. It was hard to watch the man go by without doing anything, but he had to-he needed to get to a phone and find something to use to protect himself. As the man slammed open the door that led to the basement, Nathan painfully made his way toward the kitchen, realizing that his blood was dripping down his pants and would lead the men straight to him. He grabbed the butcher knife, pushing himself into the pantry. "I'm okay," he promised, still feeling the tears.

He didn't know how long he waited, how long he waited for that approach of hard steps on the wooden floor. He clenched the knife tight, ready to strike out. The adrenaline running through him had severely strengthened his resolve to get out of this, but the blood loss and damage from the bullet had weakened him. He crouched , resting most of his weight on the balls of his feet in order to pounce as soon as the door opened, try to gain the upper hand quick and fast and without resistant on the part of the two assailants.

_Ha. Like that'd happen_ his brain said, just as the door opened a sliver. _Wait for it. They're just looking for the surprise attack. Just wait for it…_

The door opened more, and this time Nathan bounded up, the knife in front of him, ready and extremely willing to slash someone open. A hand caught his wrist, twisting it until he landed on his stomach, adding pressure to his already-painful wound. "Nathan? Nathan Wells?"

"Le…Lee," he managed to get out, letting out a breath as the hand let go of his wrist.

"Nathan, I'm a police officer You're okay-"

"No..No I'm not…" Nathan whispered, looking around, trying to find something to defend himself with. "Just leave me alone-get away." He grabbed the knife that had been carelessly left on the floor, pushing back into the pantry, knife raised, blue eyes wild. "Get away!"

The man kneeled beside Nathan, holding out his hand patiently. He was older and graying, with kind brown eyes boring into Nathan's. "I'm not going to hurt you, Nathan. I'm a police officer, my name's Dan Cormer-would you like to see my badge-"

"I'm not a petulant child that needs to be coddled," Nathan spat out, a favorite line from his stepfather, only the "I" was usually a "you".

"I know, Nathan. But I need you to give me the knife. I can't help you if you're hiding back there-" the man's voice never raised, and he smiled at Nathan. "It's okay. Those two men are dead; they won't hurt you anymore."

The man's hand came closer to the knife and Nathan pulled his arm back protectively, grimacing when he cut his t-shirt, slightly into his flesh. His knees were up to his chest, his eyes big, and to Dan Cormer, he looked just like the six and seven-year-olds he oftentimes rescued from an abusive parent. "Nathan, give me the knife. I'm not going to do anything to you. You'll be fine, safe."

"My mother is dead. How will I ever be fine again? I watched two men _shoot_ my stepfather. That's not fine-I'm not fine, and I'm pretty sure that I'll never reach that point," Nathan managed to get out without stuttering, taking a couple of deep breaths. He flinched as the man was replaced with another, this one in a black, SWAT team get-up.

"Son, come on out of there," the man ordered sternly.

"I don't think so-" he laughed, and the two cops looked at one another. The teenager was going into shock, and soon they'd have to take some measure to get Nathan out to an ambulance.

"Nathan, I don't want to hurt you, but you're gonna have to come out. You need to go to the hospital so that someone can help you."

**----Struggle----**

"Dan…get up…the phone…."

He groaned, turning in the bed as he woke up. He glanced at the clock wondering _who in their right minds would call me at 2:00 a.m_ as he picked the phone up. " 'Lo?" he mumbled, rubbing his temples, trying desperately to focus.

"Dan Scott?"

"Who is this? You do realize it's 2 in the morning, don't you?"

"Am I speaking to Daniel Scott of 223 Pembroke Road, Tree Hill, North Carolina?"

"Yeah. Now what do you want?"

"Your son-"

"What about Nathan? Anything custody or illegal-wise goes to his Mother, Deb…well, I'm not sure what the hell her last name is, but-"

"Mr. Scott, Deb Wells and her husband were murdered in their house earlier tonight. Nathan-" Dan's eyes opened wide, and he shot up, shock and terror on his face.

"Did Nathan-"

"No, Mr. Scott. Nathan's forced himself into the pantry and won't come out. I was wondering if you could come here and try and help us. He might respond better to a familiar voice. He's been through a lot, and he's hurt, and he needs help fast…"

"What's the address? I'll get going as soon as I put down the phone," Dan said, searching around the room for his pants and t-shirt, not noticing the brunette beside him sit up.

"2126 Crenshaw Place, in Wilmington." Dan wrote the address down, quickly hanging up the phone. He grabbed his keys, running out of the house to his truck.

He had never worried about Nathan's safety while he was with his mom. It just didn't seem like something that would happen in that big house, with all that presumed security. It was part of the reason Dan had never fought harder for Nathan at the many custody hearings he and his ex-wife had had. He always assumed Nathan would be safer with that wretched woman than in the rough-and-tumble suburb of Tree Hill.

He assumed wrong.

He arrived at the house twenty minutes later, after pushing 95 down the expressway and through the nearly traffic-less town. He jumped out of the truck, running to the house, but two officers stopped him. "No, you don't understand! Dan Cormer called me. My son's in there!"

"Jerry, Caplan, go ahead and let him through," a voice from behind the two officers said, and instantly Dan was through, following the man into the house. He didn't fail to notice the kicked in door, or the stained blood on the carpet, but he looked away, following the older man into the kitchen. "Nathan? Nathan, I've got somebody that wants to talk to you," the officer called into the pantry, and Dan could barely make out his son, his body curled tight against the wall, the knife loosely held.

"Go away," Nathan whimpered, and Dan shut his eyes. God, he was bad off. He kneeled by the door, replacing the SWAT team member, sliding up until he could be seen by his son through the small sliver of open space.

"Nate? Buddy? It's me-it's your dad. Everything's okay now." Dan's voice was strong, even though his hands were trembling. He saw Nathan's head shoot up, and he could see the streaks of tears, the blood-

"Dad…go 'way. They'll hurt you," Nathan tried to warn his father, grimacing at the pain that speaking caused.

"Nathan, can you come out to me? I'll protect you from these men if you'll just come to me. I won't let them hurt you. Or me."

"Dad-"

"Can I at least come in there, baby? Can I come-" the door opened, and Nathan hurled himself into his father's arms, sobbing and trembling. The knife had clattered to the ground in the pantry, and an officer went to grab it before Nathan could pick it up again. Dan wrapped his arms around his son, grimacing when blood smeared onto his hand as it stroked through the brown hair gently. "You're okay, Nate, I've got you. I'm here now baby…" He nodded to the paramedics, oh-so-tenderly letting them take his son into their capable hands.

"Dad-" Nathan whispered, eyes confused. The paramedics had strapped him to the stretcher, white bandages attached to his side that were slowly staining red, but Dan didn't move out of his line of vision.

"You're okay, son. Everything's gonna be okay. I promise."

**----Struggle----**

Four missed calls.

Dan sighed, looking up to the clock on the wall, taking a break from the forms he had been filling out. It was only 4:30-Nathan had been in surgery for just over two hours-and he was sure it was Karen who called.

He picked up the phone, finally pressing the numbers to the house phone, wondering if she'd still be there or if she'd gone back to her place. He and Karen-it was complicated. He loved her, but the disaster of his first marriage still stung and he didn't want that to happen again. And she-her husband had died in a gang-related shooting six years after their son had been born.

And there was another touchy subject. Lucas Rowe. God, Dan adored the kid-he was bright and smart, intelligent, and athletic-but they didn't get too close in case something didn't work out between Dan and Karen. Sure, Lucas occasionally stayed in the spare bedroom at Dan's house, and wasn't weirded out anymore when he saw Dan padding around his apartment at three in the morning, but they didn't stray much more into a father-son relationship.

"Dan? Where'd you go?" He was surprised that she was still awake.

"I got a call. I'm sorry about that-"

"No, it's fine. It was about Nathan…right? Is he okay?"

"No. There-someone broke into Deb's house tonight. They murdered her and her husband. The cops found Nathan in the pantry, and he was so scared that he wouldn't come out. That's where I went-to go get him."

"Is he okay now?"

"No. One of the men-he was roughed up pretty bad, and he had a bullet in his side. He's been in surgery for two hours-I don't know when I'll be home-"

"Don't worry about that now. I'll lock up when I leave, and I'll look over Austen, okay? I'll come see you tomorrow. Where are you?"

"St. Peter's Children's Hospital. Thanks, honey. I love you, you know?"

"I know. Do they know what happened? I mean…with Deb…"

"No. but Deb and her husband were in their bedroom. Deb was dragged up there, and they think she was killed downstairs. There was a chair in the bedroom, and the cops said that Nathan was there at some point-there's a trail of blood that leads downstairs. All the details are still murky. But, both gunmen were killed."

"Oh, God-"

"Karen, I've got to let you go. The ER doctor's coming out-"

"Okay. Bye, Dan. Don't worry about anything here, okay? I'll take care of it. You take care of your son." Dan closed his phone, standing up to meet the doctor.

"Mr. Scott, I presume?"

"Yeah. How is he?"

"Let's go talk in my office, okay? That way I can answer any questions you have," the doctor said, leading Dan into the ER, to a small cubicle completely filled. He nodded to one chair for Dan, sitting in the other. "I'm James Buchanan, Mr. Scott. Nathan's in recovery-in the PICU-and he seems to be doing well. We removed a bullet that was nudged up against his spinal cord. Nothing was severed, so he isn't paralyzed, he just might feel some pain for a little while because of where it was. However, it did pierce his left lung, and it did collapse. Like I said before-he's okay now, but it'll be touch-and-go for the first couple of hours. He's on a constant blood transfusion, and we're monitoring his stats closely. He's got a grade two sprain on his right arm, so that will need to stay in a brace for a couple of weeks. He had a pretty bad laceration to the back of his head, but other than that it was all minor cuts and bruises. He has a carpet rash on his right forearm, and I'm going to assume that that also had something to do with the sprain. But, rest easy, Mr. Scott. Nathan's fine, and I think he'll recover back to 100 percent."

Dan nodded, clearly relieved. But he knew, he knew Nathan would never be the same.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not owning OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Notes:** The response wasn't what Ihoped for for the prologue, but nevertheless, here's the first chapter; please review! It makes my day! To all who reply, i'm going to try to reply to each of you, but no promises (i'm so sorry, I know I'm such a bad author!)

**Chapter One: What Happened to All the Good People?**

_"Loss leaves us empty-but learn not to close your heart and mind in grief. Allow life to replenish you. When sorrow come it seems impossible-but new joys wait to fill the void."_**-Pam Brown**

It hurt. It wasn't physical pain-though that hurt too-but the sheer emotion of losing a parent. He didn't know that losing his mom-whom he often ridiculed and hated-would feel like this. He hadn't realized it was sickening and nauseating, that it could slice into him so much and take part of his soul.

But it did.

He grimaced as he curled into himself, pain shooting up his side. He tried to will himself to go back to sleep, but it wasn't working-where was that stupid pain medication when he needed it?

He shifted uncomfortably, biting back a curse as the sunshine from outside blinded him. "Dammit," he muttered, glancing around, realizing that no one was in the room for him to ask to _please_ shut the damn blinds. He carefully sat up, arm instantly cradling bruised ribs and hurt side, as his other moved to remove the blanket covering his lower half.

He was in a hospital gown. Couldn't they issue him scrubs or something-at least something to cover his backside? With a sigh of discontent, he slowly lowered one of the rails to the bed, twisting so that his feet hung of the edge.

The first thing he had to do was grab the IV pole to keep him standing. But he let out a small smile when he realized that he _could_ stand. He made it all the way to the window, sure to grab the tie for the blinds and _yank_, watching as the sunlight was soon marred by darkness.

Satisfied, he briefly wondered if he could go hunting for some decent clothes, but he saw the doctor and his father walking toward his room, talking. He was sure they'd be mad enough that he was out of the bed, and though as much as he willed his feet to move, they wouldn't, or couldn't.

The twos' faces held the same expression, a mix of shock, surprise, and just a touch of admiration. "Nathan, what are you doing?" Dan finally asked, coming over help his son, to let him put all his weight on him, to help him back into the bed.

"The lights-"

"I'll make a note to make sure the nurses know you're having some sensitivity to light. Next time, the blinds won't be open," the doctor said, scribbling on Nathan's chart. "Seeing you up is a good sign, though. How are you feeling?"

Nathan shrugged, willing the tears to stay in place for a couple of minutes, until the doctor left, when he could crumple in front of Dan. "On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, how's the pain?"

"About a twenty-five and climbing?" Nathan replied, his hand curling into a fist in the sheets as pain shot up his side. "Can't I have morphine? Or something?"

"Yeah, I'll get you something. Just stay put for a few minutes?" Nathan nodded, watching the man leave just as the tears trailed down his face. "Dad? Is Mom-" He stopped talking as the tears took over, feeling his father press him into his chest, letting his tears soak his shirt as he ran his big hand through Nathan's brown hair, whispering soothing words.

"I love you, Nate. I love you, and I'm glad you're here. It would have torn me up if something would have happened to you," Dan soothed, kissing his son's forehead. "I'm so sorry about your mother. And Aston. I'm so sorry, Nate. I'm sorry you had to go through that, you had to be anywhere near that."

"What am I gonna do?" Nathan murmured, pushing away from his father, looking up at him with guilt-ridden blue eyes. "Dad, I could've stopped them. I could've…I could've done something-"

"Nathan, stop. You couldn't. They were _killers_. You're lucky you got out with your life. I'm lucky you got out of there with your life-"

"Damn Aston. If weren't for him, Mom would still be alive-"

"Nate-"

The tears scared Dan. He wasn't used to his son breaking down in front of him-Nathan preferred to be the strong and silent type. This was not his son. This was the shell of the son before, the shell that was now soaked in guilt and hurt, and Dan wondered if he'd ever break the shell.

There was a knock on the door, and Nathan jumped, eyes wide at the doctor that came in with the huge syringe. "I'm going to put this in your IV. You'll be out in a couple of minutes. It won't hurt anymore. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. That's great," Nathan whispered, pushing away from his father, curling into the bed. Not hurting for hours upon end-oh God, that would be great.

**----Struggle----**

The next time he woke up, he was looking at two cops' backs, both talking to his father. "No, sir. He's never been into anything like that. He's a great kid. He's a honor student at Mathew's Academy in Raleigh!"

"Dad, do you have to shout?" Nathan muttered, turning in the bed, looking at the clear tube wrapped around his arm. Why did the morphine seem to stop when he woke up? He grimaced as shots of pain stabbed at him; he wondered when it would stop plaguing him. He wondered if the guilty thoughts and the terrible nightmares would ever stop.

"Nathan? Buddy, breathe. It's going to hurt for a while, but try to breathe through the pain," Dan whispered, running a soothing hand up and down Nathan's arm. "It's okay-"

"Mom is dead!" Nathan screamed, pain overriding any emotion on his face. "Nothing is okay."

"I know, bud. I know that. But I'm going to try to make it better, okay? Nate, these guys want to talk to you-are you willing to talk for a few minutes?"

Nathan eyed the men, remembering his last run-in with the cops, how scared he was of them. "You'll stay here?" he asked his father, eyes never leaving the two men.

"Of course, Nathan." And then the seventeen-year-old nodded slowly, a look of distrust on his face as the two cops sat down, one placing a tape recorder on the nightstand.

"Nathan, is it okay if we tape this? This way we don't have to come back and ask you to repeat any of your answers-" Nathan nodded, and the man turned the tape recorder on. "I'm Detective Cormer, this is Detective Caplan. You remember me from your house three nights ago, Nathan?"

"I don't remember a lot from that night," Nathan whispered, voice trembling. "Sorry."

"That's okay. Do you remember what time you came home that night?"

"Like elevenish. I was playing a pick-up game of basketball with a couple of friends."

"Did you notice anything off? I mean, with your house-"

Nathan's eyes strayed to his father, and Dan smiled encouragingly. "I guess….I guess I did, but I didn't really realize that it all added up to someone else being in the house. As-Aston's Merlot and Scotch crystal bottles were out-he never left those out."

"Anything else?" Caplan asked, his voice just as gentle and coaxing as Cormer's. They had both had experience dealing with traumatized kids, and they knew not to approach them with accusations or to do anything to play on their fears. Traumatized kids closed up entirely if that happened.

"The house was dark."

"Why is that important, Nathan?" Dan Cormer pushed. "That doesn't mean anything to us. Houses are supposed to be dark at night."

"My mother hated the dark-she couldn't stand it. The lights remained on at all times. Always. I went back to my room-to grab something to defend myself with. I didn't even get to turn around before someone hit me from behind."

"And then?"

Nathan was silent, his eyes brimming with tears that he refused to let spill. Yet again. "And then I woke up in my mom's bedroom. Her and Aston were tied to the bed. She was dead," he snapped, quickly getting agitated.

"Nate, calm down," Dan whispered, pressing the cup of ice water to his pale lips. "Take a couple sips and calm down, okay? They're just trying to help. And I know you're getting frustrated, but you're going to hurt yourself if you don't relax."

The water helped. It helped clear the pounding in his head, the mucus from his lungs that was starting to make him wheeze, the pain building in his side.

And yet it did nothing to try to mend his heart back together, to end the suffering and questions in his mind.

"Are you ready to continue, Mr. Lee?" Dan flinched at the last name-he had forgotten that Nathan didn't share his.

"I guess," came Nathan's murmured reply, his hand again clenched in a fist, trying to control his emotions.

"What happened in the bedroom? Did the two men say anything to you?"

"I…I think I asked them why. I know they told me something about one of Aston's business deals going wrong-that's why they were there. And then they shot Aston-I thought they were going to shoot me. The big guy-he called the other one Ernie. I started hyperventilating-and they untied me. I don't know why."

"You managed to get away?"

"Yeah. I was on the ground, and one of them was leaning over me, and I kicked him. Straight up, in the jaw. And then I…I got away from the second one. I don't remember how, exactly. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Nathan. You're doing great. And then you went to the kitchen?"

"I hid-underneath the stairs. I needed…I needed something to defend myself with, but I couldn't get to anything with them behind me. They went down to the basement, then I went to the kitchen, and I found the knife."

"Okay. That's good. Can I ask what Aston did for a living?"

"I don't know. My mom married him last year; we didn't exactly get along."

"Do you know a Josh Vernon?"

"Yeah. He went to my school. Why?"

"His father was the last person Aston talked to. Did your step-father know the Vernons?"

Nathan shrugged. "They probably did. Aston and the Vernons belonged to the same country club."

"Officers, I'm sorry, but I gotta take Nathan upstairs for a neuro exam. He'll be back in about an hour-" the doctor said, coming into the room. "You're welcome to wait in the waiting room."

"Actually, we're good for now. Nathan, if we have anymore questions…" Nathan nodded, rubbing his temples. Dan squeezed his shoulders, murmuring, "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"You have no idea," Nathan whispered, again feeling that pain stab in his heart as he thought about _that_ night.

**----Struggle----**

Dan smiled at the picture on his phone, the picture of him and Karen when they went to Raleigh for their three-month anniversary. He missed her-he hadn't seen her or called her since that first night, mostly because he had been so busy with Nathan and with the cops and the doctors and his boss.

He dialed the number quickly, wondering if she was asleep or at work. She sometimes had to work the night shift at the little diner he met her at.

"Hello?" Lucas' voice was soft and rough-he _had_ been sleeping.

"Luke, I'm sorry I woke you. It's Dan-"

"Hey. My mom's working right now. Where have you been? She's been kinda depressed…" Lucas trailed off, coming to the realization about how much Dan actually meant to his mother. "We're you fighting?"

"No, nothing like that. My son got hurt, and I've been at the hospital. I'm gonna come home for a little while tomorrow, get some stuff ready for Nate."

"Have you told him about you and my mom yet?"

"He lost his mother recently-I will tell him before we go home, but I just want to give him time to cope," Dan explained. "How are you? How's school?"

"Okay. We're gearing up for something bad to happen-you know how rough Tree Hill High is. Is your son okay?"

"Yeah. He'll be home with me soon, like I said. But, with that in mind, I'm thinking about moving. That room's a little tiny and if you need to stay over one night…"

"It'll all work out, Dan. Like I said, Mom's at work. Do you want me to tell her you called? You know that slave-driver that's her boss isn't going to let her answer her phone."

"Please tell her I called, Luke. It was nice talking to you."

"I will. Bye, Dan."

"Bye, kid." Dan picked up his coffee and newspaper, heading to the fourth floor, where Nathan was having his neuro exam done. He knew his son was tired and irritable, but Doctor Buchanan had wanted a reason to _why_ Nathan was still having trouble with light, and it would have to come at the expense of Nathan's tried nerves.

He pushed himself into a hard plastic chair in the waiting room, his eyes trailing to the TV, some news station being broadcasted. He hadn't realized that it was five in the morning-time had kind of stood still since Nathan got hurt.

"Dad?" Nathan was surprised to see his father waiting for them. He thought that he'd be back in the room. "What are you doing here?"

"And what did the good doctor say?"

"_The Good Kid_ said I'm fine. Brain's fine, everything's fine, and this whole thing was pointless," Nathan said irritably. He hadn't had any pain medication since the night before, and he was hurting for it. Even Dan could see that.

"Dan, your son will be fine-it's just a longer lasting effect from getting hit on the back of the head. And now, he can have a mild sedative and go to bed. I know he wants to sleep."

"I don't want to sleep," Nathan snapped. "I want some damn medicine to make all the pain go away. I just don't want to feel any of the freakin' pain." He felt like he was about to cry-cry!- and he hated it. He hated being weak, and he hated showing it.

"Nathan-" Dan whispered soothingly. "He's not doing anything to hurt you. He's not going to hurt you-no one's going to hurt you again."

And Dan brought back all those memories, of his mother lying on the bed, blood trailing out of the bullet hole in head. He fought the memories, trying to climb out of the whole he was in. "Dad, I don't want to talk about this now."

Dan curled his hand in Nathan's raven hair, smiling at his son. "We'll talk about it later," he whispered, pulling away from the bed as it was pushed into the elevator. He watched as Nathan curled onto his unhurt side, burying his head into the pillow. "How soon can he have the sedative?"

"I'll give it to him as soon as we get him back to his room. Today, we'll try to get him to start walking-just down the hall."

"I don't like that plan," Nathan mumbled, not pulling his head out of the pillow. Dan laughed, shaking his head. At least something was still the same.

**----Struggle----**

Karen grimaced as she eased the jacket off her body, glancing at her son, once again sleeping on the couch, a John Steinbeck book resting against his chest. "Wake up, Lucas," she called, tossing a throw pillow at him. He bolted up, his lanky body tense, as if ready for an attack. _Another reason for him to get out of the God-forsaking town_ she thought, offering him a big smile. "You know, you have a bed for a reason, Lucas."

"Just making sure you came home at a decent hour tonight-and by the way, five in the morning, not a good hour," he replied, giving her his own grin. "Dan called."

Her head instantly perked up. "What'd he want?"

"Um, he's going to be coming home for a couple of hours, I think that's what he said, but he called pretty late so I'm not exactly sure. He's still at the hospital with his son-Nate, Nathan?, something like that-and-"

"How is his son?" Karen asked, going into the kitchen of their apartment, grabbing a bottle of water.

"I guess he's okay-Dan said he'd be coming home with him soon. What happened to him?"

"His son was shot, Lucas. Someone broke into their house, and killed Nathan's mother and his step-father. He's been in the hospital since, which is why Dan hasn't been by. But nothing's wrong with us-we're still fine. Nathan just-he knows his father is dating, but Dan's right-it's too soon after the murder for Dan to introduce us," Karen explained gently.

"That's a pretty lame excuse, Mom."

"Lucas, had it been you, and your father, and you hadn't met Dan yet, there's no way in _hell_ that I would introduce Dan to you. You really like him, don't you?"

"Mom, seeing you with Dan-I can see us as a family. How does that include one more messed up kid?"

"Lucas Rowe-I don't want to hear that from you. There's always room in this family for someone else. Especially someone who's in dire need of a family right now."

In his bed at the hospital, a throbbing ache woke Nathan up. His vision was fuzzy and his eyelids heavy; clearly the medicine was still doing it's job. "Dad?" he mumbled, thinking he saw a darkened shape sitting in the chair. "That you?"

"How could you let me die, Nathan?" a voice hissed, anger and hate seeping through the cruel words as the figure rushed him, and he could see it clearly.

Blond hair now tinted with rusty blood.

Creamy skin, now alabaster cold.

His hated mother, now dead.

"I will never forgive you for this!" the figure screamed, and Nathan gasped in cold fear, tears running down his cheeks as he prayed for it to go away, for his mother to realize he wanted to protect her, no matter how many cruel and unjust things she did to him.

"Nathan!" his eyes opened, bright blue irises staring at the flowers on the nightstand by his bed. "You're okay. Can you tell me where you are?"

Blue eyes flicked to each face, searching for the ghost of the woman now haunting his delusional nightmares, wishing she was there.

What a joke. For sixteen years, all he wanted was for her to leave him alone. And now he wanted to grab onto the ghost that haunted him and pull her in and keep her safe, close to his heart.

**----end chapter one----**


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not owning OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_ For this chapter, I don't own the song _Rainy Day_, but Guster does. Go listen.

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Note:** Nathan might seem a little OOC for this chapter...I hope not too much, but I want Nathan's character to be a little harder and a little edgier than in the real show....also, again I'll try to reply to everyone, but no guarantees...these next few weeks before my spring break are stressed-filled weeks of midterms, ochem tests, and speeches...wish me good luck!

**Chapter Two: Looks like Trouble on a Rainy Day**

_"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."_**-Anonymous**

"He had a nightmare while he was _sedated_ and you people didn't think it was important enough to call me?" Nathan winced as he heard Dan's raised voice outside the door.

"Mr. Scott, if we thought it was something-"

"Lady, when it comes to my son, anything that harms him is important to me, and I want to know about it. Immediately." Dan opened the door, giving Nathan a smile as he entered the room, tossing a bag onto the couch. "Hey, kiddo." Nathan nodded, turning back to the pathetic thing the hospital staff called breakfast. "Looks…amazingly appetizing." Nathan snorted, grinning at his father.

"Where'd you go?" he inquired, pushing around the rubber eggs in attempt to make it look as if he'd actually tasted some of it.

"Um, I went back to my house and took a shower, got you some real clothes before you have your physical therapy, went by and saw my girlfriend," Dan listed casually, eyeing his son as he said the last word.

"Karen, right? Didn't you say something about her the last time we talked? Before…before Mom and stuff?"

"I'm surprised you remember. The last time we talked it didn't exactly end on a good note."

"She seemed important. Obviously, she is important. Do you live together?"

"No. Karen's got her own life-she's got a son, too, who's also sixteen. His name's Lucas. The only other thing living in that house of mine is that over-grown golden retriever of yours'." He knew that would catch a grin from Nathan. "Karen wanted to come up here, but I didn't want you thinking that I was trying to instantly replace your mother-"

"The thing that keeps haunting me in my nightmares?" Nathan said sarcastically, looking down at the thing IV tube twisting around his thin forearm. "My mother wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing to be around-apparently, the fact that she's dead doesn't change that."

"But you do miss her, Nathan, you're mourning for her."

"I do miss her," Nathan whispered, tears trailing down his cheeks. "I miss her so much. And I'm trying not to."

"Can we talk about this, Nate? About what-"

"No, I don't think we can."

Dan regarded his son with tight lips and a wrinkled forehead, eyes almost-almost-showing disappointment. "You have to talk sometime."

"I know, but not until I want to. And until then, I don't. I won't. And you can't make me," Nathan replied. "I'm tired now. I think I'll sleep."

"I think that's a bunch of bullshit and a practiced evasion move. Did your mom teach you that?" Dan snapped, quickly regretting his harsh words.

"No, you did when you didn't want to talk to me," Nathan snarked back. "I think maybe you should leave."

"And now we're back to this? To the evasion tactics? I'm not going anywhere, Nathan. Realize that. I'm not going to leave you, not like your Mom, God rest her soul. And I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you. But I know that's not what you want right now, so I'll leave you for now-just…just remember that I won't leave forever." Nathan watched Dan walk away, closing the door behind him. Nathan's hand reached up and he pushed the single tear traveling down his off, turning in the bed, hoping to find some peace and solace in sleep.

**----Struggle----**

Haley James glanced around the decrepit neighborhood as she pushed her key into the lock on the front door of her house. She wasn't really sure why her parents locked the door-it was so old and rotted that someone could just push it down if they really wanted to.

"Ricky, no!" she shouted, starting in a dead run, scooping the hypodermic needle out of her three-year-old brother's hands. "Don't touch the drugs, honey. They're bad for you." She settled Ricky on the floor of the kitchen, within the baby gates they still had up, returning back to the front room to grab any of the other syringes she saw.

She was only sixteen years old-and she lived in the middle of Hell. Her hell was well known; the James' house was infamous for it's speed and heroin; for the right price, anything could be bought from the James'.

Haley returned to the kitchen, smiling at her baby brother before setting a pot of hot water on the stove, carefully clearing off all the eyes before turning on the gas. She ran a hand through her long auburn hair, wiping away the tears that had fallen. She shook her head as she saw a small baggie of fine white powder on the counter. "They're trying to kill us," she muttered, opening the bag and washing it down the sink with water. "Ricky, did you have lunch today?"

The little boy nodded, not looking up from his toys. "Had mac-n-cheese," he said, a boyish grin on his face.

"Cristina fed you mac-n-cheese?" Ricky nodded again. "Was it good?"

"Uh-huh. Hawey, where Mama?"

"I don't know, baby. How long have you been here by yourself?" Haley asked, about ready to kill Cristina for leaving _her_ baby brother by himself.

"Some'un came her hwous."

"Someone came to her house?" Ricky nodded. "Why did she bring you home?"

"Yellin'."

"The person was yelling? Was it a man or a woman?"

"Man."

"Ricky, stay here." Haley let out a shaky breath, kissing her brother's forehead, leaving the kitchen. She grabbed her jacket, keys, and her battered cell phone, locking the door as she made her way across the street to Cristina's small house. She worried for the thirty-year-old woman, who worked hard, but seemed hopeless to get out of this hellhole. "Cristina!" she yelled, pounding on the front door. "Cristina, please open the door!"

When no one came to the door, Haley pushed on it, wondering if anyone in the neighborhood would actually be concerned and call the police.

She highly doubted it.

"Cristina!" She tried the doorknob, then pushed on the door, feeling it move. She gave it another shove, hearing the lock crack, the door opening. "Cristina!" The woman was crumpled in the living room. The room was a mess-the couch pushed at an awkward angle, the pictures torn and glass everywhere.

Haley turned the prone woman over, eyes wide as she probed the wound on the woman's chest as she struggled to pull her cell phone out. Her hand trembled as she felt for a pulse, the other hand shakily dialing 9-1-1. "Emergency Services, how may I help you?"

"Um…my neighbor's hurt. She's unconscious on her floor."

"What's the address sweetheart?"

"2---212 Bellmont Circle-it's past the Wal-mart, um and the projects."

"Okay, honey. Do you know the woman's name?"

"Cristina Valdez."

"And your name?"

"Haley. I think someone stabbed her. She's got blood all over her chest."

"Did someone beat her up, Haley?"

"Yeah. My little brother stays with her and he said a man came, and was yelling," Haley replied, looking around the room, snatching a towel from the corner, pressing it against the wound on Cristina's chest. The woman's brown eyes opened, and Haley smiled, taking the woman's hand. "Cristina, who did this?"

"Haley…"

"You're gonna be fine, Cristina. I promise, you're going to be fine."

"No. I lied, Haley," the woman whispered.

"Lied? Lied about what? You know what, it doesn't matter. You-"

"Haley, is Ms. Valdez conscious?" She had forgotten about the cell phone, and she nearly jumped when she heard the voice. She was staring at Cristina,

"What? What did you lie about Cristina?"

_"Esas drogas son las cosas poderosas."_

"What drugs? Have you been taking drugs?"

"Haley…" She pushed away from the injured body, tears slipping down her face.

"You've been using drugs? While your watching my brother?" Confusion turned to anger, and Haley had to force herself to concentrate on the fact that the woman was hurt.

"Haley, is Ms. Valdez conscious?" Once again, the person on the phone had been forgotten.

"Yeah. She's been using."

"Do you know what?"

"No."

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry Haley," Cristina murmured, and Haley shook her head, her hands shaking as she pressed the towel on the wound.

"Don't tell me that, Cristina. You're sorry because you got caught, not because you're actually sorry," Haley snapped. "After this, don't talk to me again." She could hear the sirens of the ambulance, only three or four miles away, she assumed. She hoped.

She had to get out of this town. Someway, somehow, she had to get out-and she needed to get her brother out, too.

Somehow.

**----Struggle----**

Lucas sighed as he finished the final paragraph to an English paper, glancing over the top of his laptop to look at his mother, making dinner in their small kitchen before she had to go to work. Dan had been by earlier in the day, so she was all-together happier than normal. When she looked back at him, his blue eyes fell to his computer, and there they stayed until his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller-ID before opening the phone, shutting himself into his room. "That was quick."

"Wasn't hard to find out about this kid, Luke," Mouth replied, and Lucas could see the hint of the smile.

"And?"

"Names Nathan Lee, he's sixteen, he used to live in Raleigh, just moved to Wilmington and started at a private school there. His mother divorced his father when Nathan was eight, married again when he was twelve, divorced when he was thirteen, and married once again when he was fifteen. He went to Mathew's Academy in Raleigh before, straight A student, played basketball."

"Any criminal record?"

"He was arrested for assault two and a half months ago, but charges were dropped."

"Who'd he hit?"

"His step dad."

"Talk about your strained relationship."

"Really. He hated his stepfather. I talked to an old friend who goes to Mathews, said Nathan went ballistic when he found out his mother was getting married again. He didn't even go to the wedding."

"What about him and Dan?"

"So, my friend also told me that him and Dan don't get along so well. But I think that has something to do more with the situation with his mother."

"Which was?"

"At their last custody hearing, two weeks ago, Nathan said he wanted to go with his dad, and Dan said he didn't want him. That he didn't feel safe taking Nathan. Needless to say, his son was not happy."

"Obviously. Thanks, Mouth. I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"Bye, Luke."

Lucas tossed his phone to his bed, going back to his computer. "Who was that?"

"Mouth. Wanted to know if I'd done any of the trig homework yet."

"Have you?"

"No-I need to get on that."

"How come I have a feeling that you were not talking to Mouth about homework?"

"Because you think you're perceptive that way…or because you think it's kind of freaky that your kid would discuss trig homework with someone else," Lucas answered, grinning good-naturedly. He'd feel too guilty to tell her about his snooping into Nathan's old life.

**----Struggle----**

"Nathan?" The teenager looked up, blue eyes transferring from watching the world outside his window to following the nicely-dressed woman in the tailored suit as she walked further into the room, holding a manila folder that he suspected had his name on it.

_Psychiatrist or social worker_, he guessed, leaning more towards the psychiatrist with her professional appearance. He watched her as she sat in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs, crossing her legs, opening the folder. "How are you today, Nathan?"

He sighed, wondering if his frustration and anger…and fear…could be seen through his eyes. Aston used to snidely comment that his eyes were like windows to his soul-and they showed every fault and every disappointing aspect of the boy to the outside world. That's why Nathan had hit him, had gotten arrested over him.

"Nathan?"

"I'm fine, how are you?" he replied monotonously, wondering if she'd be the type to talk on and on about tragedy and how one needed to face it to move past it, or would she want to dwell all over his feelings and dissect them and analyze each different thought.

He really didn't care.

"I'm good. My name's Ann Sullivan, I'm a psychiatrist for the hospital. So, you're fine? Does fine me dealing or does it mean that you're not really sure or-"

"Maybe it just means that I'm fine," he snapped. His nerves had yet to _quite_ recover from the torturous time he had with Dr. Buchanan earlier this morning, or the physical therapist Jake earlier, and now he was just plain irritable. "Or, perhaps it means that I really don't want you anywhere near me."

"You're tired; I understand that…"

"Lady, I don't think you do. I'm tired of people asking me if I'm all right and if I need anything and if I want to talk. I don't. When I want to talk, I will tell someone, so until then, everyone should just leave me the hell alone and let me cope by myself," Nathan snapped.

"Nathan, I'm trying to help you." She took out a piece of paper, setting it on the table in front of him. "Write down whatever you want." Nathan stared at the paper as if it was poisoned, before slowly picking up the pen with his good hand, taking a few minutes to scribble down some words. He gave the paper to the woman.

"Now get out," he growled. "And don't come back."

Ann Sullivan sighed, closing the folder. "You know I have to come back. But I'll see you tomorrow."

As she left, her eyes trailed onto the paper-_ "Clouds are comin/ Air get's heavy/looks like trouble on a rainy day/sun starts sinking/can't see my shadow/looks like trouble on a rainy day/holes uncovered/walls will crumble/all spells trouble on a rainy day." _

**----Struggle----**

Karen knocked on the door to Nathan's hospital room, opening it a little.

"Can I help you?" The kid was nearly a spitting image of his father, with sharp blue eyes and dark brown, nearly black hair. He was sitting in a chair, staring out the window. "Karen?"

"Hi, Nathan. I was just wondering if your father was here," Karen said, stepping into the room, closing the door behind her.

"He's talking to that psychiatrist that they think is somehow going to help me, because I need help dealing," Nathan replied sullenly. "I don't."

"Your mother died. I would think that that comes with some emotional distress," Karen replied. "But, that's not for me to decide. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. Not as hurt as these people seem to think; ready to get out of here."

"Any pain?"

"A lot."

"It'll fade at some point. Until then, there's drugs." Nathan gave her a grin, and Karen instantly recognized it as the same one his father was often giving her. "I'm not gonna replace your mom."

"You're too nice to replace my mom."

"Karen?" She turned, smiling at Dan. "What are you doing here?"

"Calming me more than your psychiatrist was," Nathan snapped, giving his father a poignant look. "No more psychiatrists, Dad. I told you I'd talk when I want to, and you'll be the first person to know. But, until then, _back off_."

"Nathan, I'm trying-"

"I know. Stop trying so hard. I'm hurting, and I will for awhile, but someday it'll get better. Someday."

**----end chapter two----**


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not owning OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_ For this chapter, I don't own the song _Rainy Day_, but Guster does. Go listen.

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Note: **wrote this at thanksgiving _a year ago_ (as in 07), so, I'm not sure what it's like...I hope it's good. Enjoy! And I'm sorry I didn't get reviews out; this is my HELL WEEK (up until spring break in two weeks), so I've had test after test after paper after test; I'll try to get them out this time! Thanks, guys.

**Chapter Three: Walls Will Crumble**  
_"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."_**-Confucius**

"And how does that feel?"

"You're pressing onto the gunshot wound in my side. How do you think that feels?" Nathan replied, shrugging. "I'm sorry…I'm irritable."

"It's okay, Nathan. How does it feel?" the doctor asked again, giving his young patient a kind smile.

"It hurts. Should it feel good?" Nathan said, his blue eyes staring at the man. "Because I wasn't aware that a gunshot wound was supposed to feel good." Dan rolled eyes, smiling good-naturedly at the doctor over Nathan's head.

"Well, it looks good-the bruising's normal, and it should subside in a couple of weeks. You'll have to keep it bandaged-no swimming, nothing like that-"

"Because I want to go swimming in October-you know, in the sixty degree weather."

"You ever think of becoming a comedian?" Dr. Buchanan asked.

"I don't really have the funny wit down for that-more of the snarky teenager-ism," Nathan returned, wincing as the doctor told him to stand up. He leaned heavily against the bed railing, but that was more because the doctor had just pressed against his healing gunshot wound. "I'm assuming you want me to walk?"

"Across the room, please." Nathan nodded, one step, another, another, another…it was easier walking once he got started. He had learned that the first step was the hardest, no matter what he was doing-walking, basketball, his two stepfathers…all just required going through them one step at a time. "That's good. Let me get the paperwork for the dad, and I'll a nurse bring in a wheelchair-you'll be free to go. Mr. Scott, can I talk to you outside? It's just some basic at-home care stuff. Nathan, the nurse should be here in a couple minutes with the wheelchair."

Nathan nodded, sitting in the oversized chair, eyes watching the streets below him. He should be happy-he got to go back to the real world today. But then there was that coming visit to his mother's lawyer, to see what she and that bastard had left him. If anything-probably not. Nathan's hate for Aston was the same hate Aston had for him, and he had been told over and over again that he'd never get anything-_anything_-from Aston.

He was fine with that.

"You ready, kiddo?" It was Nurse Ann-the same woman he had seen over and over again during his stay-pushing the uncomfortable wheelchair in the room. She helped Nathan get settled in it before pushing him out, towards his father and Dr. Buchanan. "We're gonna miss you."

"No, you aren't. I sniped and I irritated and I annoyed; what's there to miss?" Nathan questioned.

"You weren't that bad, Nathan, I promise. Relax for a couple days, and get straight before you try to start your life again, okay?" Nathan nodded, smiling at her. "You've got a beautiful smile."

"I try. I don't have a whole lot to smile about, though."

"I know. But it'll get better. You'll find friends, and eventually, it'll get better, I promise," Ann said, kissing his cheek as she stopped in front of his dad. "Mr. Scott, you take good care of our favorite patient, okay?"

"No problem, Ann. Dr. Buchanan, we'll see you in three days."

**----Struggle----**

Nathan smiled as he opened the door to his old bedroom, noticing the room had been recently cleaned. "If you find something in there that's not yours', it's possibly Luke's. He sometimes leaves a book or two here," Dan said , leaning against the doorway. "I can ask him to make sure it's all gone-"

"It's fine, Dad. A couple of books isn't gonna hurt me. What does this kid like to read? Because with a name like Lucas, I'm thinking Steinbeck, an obvious angst-ridden teenager who has the brooding thing down to a tee?"

Dan laughed, shaking his head. "Are you sure you weren't supposed to be a comedian? But yeah, there might be a Steinbeck or two-last time Lucas left _East of Eden_. He likes his books. What are you reading now? Cause I remember the days of Dickens and Stevenson-"

"No, not anymore. Aston and Mom couldn't have the smart son, they needed the good-looking, athletic son. Nothing about reading. But, of course I have books. Wilde and Conrad and Dan Brown and-I love my books, Dad. But they don't fit with the good-looking, athletic son, so generally, they tend to get forgotten."

"Well, it doesn't matter what you are. You can be the athletic guy, or the good-looking guy, or the brainiac-guy--just as long as you're happy."

"I think happy's a far way away, Dad-there's a lot to go through and process before I even glance at happiness. Where's Austen?"

"In the backyard. I'll let him in when you pick a place-either your bed or the couch-and lay down. You remember doctor's orders-resting."

"Fine, away to the couch. I'd much rather sit and watch tv then stay cooped up in this room all day." He limped out of the room, grimacing as his side hit the wall in the hallway. He had forgotten how small his father's house was-not that he didn't love it, and the coziness that enveloped it. It was just that living in that 10,000 + square foot house, there wasn't any tight corners or small rooms or…homeliness. It was big and lonely and…no, lonely just about covered it all.

"I know that this isn't what you're used to, Nathan-"

So his father had misinterpreted the wince. Nathan wondered if he would-if he would figure that Nathan would compare the homes he had previously lived in to the obviously smaller and more compact Scott residence. "Dad, I like here, okay? I've always loved here."

"I've been thinking about moving-getting something a little bigger, or an apartment."

Nathan's face clouded; had he caused this with one meaningless wince? "Why?"

"This place only has two bedrooms, and sometimes, when Karen stays over, usually Lucas just crashed in your room. With both of you, I'll need something where everyone can have a place."

"Dad, we can manage-"

"You and Luke shouldn't have to. Don't worry about it; I've got a nice chunk of change saved up from all that overtime I'd been doing." Nathan wondered how his father had managed to maintain his jobs while staying at the hospital with Nathan while he was sick. "I've got to go to the bar tonight-I figured you'd be knocked out after your pain pill, so you probably wouldn't notice. But, that's not for a few hours." Nathan nodded slowly, a smile crossing his face when he fell onto the old, comfy couch, bringing a quilt down with him.

"Now, I'm settled in, so bring on the puppy." Not so much a puppy anymore-Austen was four. Dan always found it funny that their _male_ dog was name after Nathan's one-time favorite author-Jane Austen. Dan still teased him.

He could hear the dog barking, clumsy feet sliding on the linoleum of the kitchen, heading toward the living room. And then there was golden fur in his face, a tongue currently licking his cheek. He ran his hands through the sleek fur, a smile going from ear to ear, a smile Dan didn't know his son still possessed. "Austen, get off him," Dan chastised the dog, watching him climb onto the couch, lay on Nathan's feet, his head barely reaching Nathan's outstretched fingers, lulling Nathan to a comforting sleep.

Dan smiled, leaving his son and their dog in the living room for a minute, heading to the kitchen, to set out Nathan's many pill bottles-two antibiotics for infections, another to help something in his stomach, an anti-nausea pill, a light pain pill (a mini-morphine or vicodin, Buchanan had said), a mild sedative, and the antidepressants Ann Sullivan had prescribed. Dan still wasn't sure if he was going to give them to his son.

He picked up the phone, dialing Karen's number, hoping she'd be there. "Hello?" the phone had been picked up after the first ring, by her, nonetheless.

"Hey."

"Dan! How are you? And Nathan? I thought he was being discharged today…"

"He is. He was. He's sleeping on the couch right now. I miss you."

"You saw me two days ago, baby."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I just thought you might want to know. I haven't seen you near enough-"

"You've been busy. I understand. I'm not jealous. I love you," she replied, a soft laugh in her voice. "I think Luke really misses you. All he does he hound me about when you're coming back over, and if we're on the fritz-"

"Tell him I miss him, too. Why don't you come over for dinner tomorrow? I'll cook some spaghetti or something, and the boys can finally meet-plus, Nathan likes you, and he might need someone to talk to after tomorrow. We're meeting the lawyers to go over the wills."

"Wills? As in more than one?"

"Aston's and his mother's. I'm hoping it won't upset him too much. Lord knows that's not what he needs. But will you come for dinner?"

"Sure. I get off at five-thirty; six okay?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then, Karen. Bye."

"Bye, baby." With that, he hung up the phone, looking over the bills on the counter. All the normal ones, electric, cable, water, heat, phone and internet, and he realized with a slight shudder that new, more expensive ones would be showing up soon, hospital bills in the thousands of dollars to pay for Nathan's treatment.

But he wasn't going to freak.

His son was worth it. Getting Nathan better, getting Nathan back, all of that was worth it.

**----Struggle----**

"Ricky, where's Mom?" Haley called to her little brother, pulling on her cleanest shirt, trying to find a hair band and rubber band to tie her auburn hair back. She was late to work; she knew Karen had an important thing tonight with her boyfriend, but Haley's mother hadn't arrived and she couldn't very well leave Ricky by himself.

"I don know, Hawey. Not home."

"Great. Just freakin' great," Haley muttered, grabbing a coloring book and the half-empty box of crayons. "Come on, then. We need to go."

"I wait Mama."

"No, we need to go. I'm late for work, and Karen's got an important date and she'll kill me if I make her late. So let's go." Haley had to catch Bus 24 to head out to the diner, and, with a little luck, she might make it there with a few minutes to spare.

But she was never one with luck.

"I'm so sorry, Karen," she tried to explain to the older woman as she rushed into the employee break room, where Karen was on the phone. The woman quickly hung up the phone, looking at Haley. "My mom was supposed to be home in time to watch Ricky and she never came. I'm so sorry-"

"Slow down, Haley. Dan will understand me being a few minutes late. What's this about your brother? What are you planning on doing with him for the next six hours?"

"I'm not exactly sure. Hopefully, my mom will come pick him up at some point in time. If not, hopefully he'll stay back here-"

"Do you want me to take him, Haley? He can come with me and Luke's to Dan's, and you can come pick him up when you're done with your shift," Karen offered, smiling at Ricky. "It won't be a problem, and I don't want you getting in trouble for having him here."

"Karen, I can't let you do that. I'm the one who was late, and I'm the one-"

"Haley, you're sixteen-years-old playing 'parent' to your three-year-old brother. You have the weight of the world on your shoulders, and you need help. I've been there, I know. So, I'll help anyway I can." Besides, Karen was so close to calling DFCS on Haley's parents, but she didn't for fear that the girl would never trust her again. "So, go work, and pick up your brother later."

"Thank you, Karen. Here's his coloring book, and some crayons-he should keep pretty entertained."

"Haley!" she cringed, knowing that her boss was going to chew her out.

"Ricky, be good for Karen, I'll see you later." With that, Haley grabbed her apron, and Karen took Ricky's hand, leaving back for her apartment.

**----Struggle----**

"I thought Karen only had one son," Nathan commented as he set down an extra plate, hand trailing the wall.

"She does; she's baby-sitting for one of the girl's that works with her. Lucas knows the girl, it's a sad story with her family. Are you okay? From this afternoon?"

"No. What an ass Aston had for a lawyer. I didn't even understand half the things he said!"

"Basically, Aston's money went to your mother, and your mother's will ceded the money to you. It will stay in a trust-fund until you start college, except for the money taken out to pay for your hospital bill. The money from the house will also go to that trust fund. However, the police are investing Aston's business for some potential underhanded deals, so right now the only money being transferred anywhere is the money to take care of the hospital bill. Which is quite all right, right?"

"Yeah. I'm still confused, but it's okay. I'm tired, getting irritable."

"If you want to skip out on dinner, I'll underst-"

"No. I want to meet Karen. I mean, I've already met her, but I haven't actually gotten to know her. I just think I'll need something by the end of the night. You know, irritation can only last so long."

"Why don't you go take a nap, then?" Nathan nodded, giving his father a small smile. "I'll wake you up when Karen and Luke get here. And please, take your dog with you."

Nathan sat on the couch, his hand on his side, pressing hard, hoping to push the pain to a more manageable spot. He petted the retriever's head, patting the couch beside him, happy to have his dog laying on his lap as he rested back on the couch. "I love you, Austen. At least you aren't all complicated like human relations," he muttered to the dog, staring off into space, hoping to fade into unconsciousness soon.

**----Struggle----**

Nathan struggled to hold his fork in his hand, glancing at the four other people around the table before focusing back on the food he had pretty much just pushed around his plate. From his spot next to Nathan, Lucas watched his sluggish movements, wondering if the kid felt as bad as he looked. He turned from Nathan to Ricky, watching the little kid wolf down food as if he hadn't had it in years. Though, until Haley started working, Lucas doubted Ricky had actually had real food in years. Her parents were known drug dealers, the cops were constantly raiding her house without finding enough evidence to arrest them, and Haley was forced to have a full-time job and go to work while still a child.

"Nathan, you still with us?" Dan asked his son, making the kid look up. He nodded, rubbing his eyes, trying to get rid of the God-awful headache that plagued him.

"Nathan-" Dan started again, stopping when his son glared at him. "You sure?"

"I told you I was fine once," Nathan snapped, the rest of the table going quiet. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Nathan," Karen whispered, reaching out to grab his hand, rubbing soothing circles with her thumb over his knuckles.

"It's a far, far road from all right," Nathan murmured, his eyes on his food, refusing to look at his father. "I think…well, may I…may I be excused?"

"Of course, Nathan," Dan answered. "I left the pills on your nightstand." Nathan nodded, struggling to his room. He closed his door, sitting on his bed, staring at his pills.

And he could feel the hot tears rolling down his cheeks.

**----end chapter three----**


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not owning OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Note:** So, I survived my hell week, and in return for your patience, this is the next chapter. It's the last of the pre-written ones (the ones I left alone when I decided to revamp Struggle) and I hope that it's okay. This is Naley's first meeting.

I'm sorry about not being able to reply to reviews; I had a midterm and a final on Friday and an O-chem test last night; I've been in hell with the studying and the mind about to explode and stuff, but I swear I will reply to this one. Also, to everyone who does review, I'll give you an excerpt of Naley's first kiss (which is coming later). It's about a hundred words, but that should tide you over until the next update, yes?

Thank you all, and without further mumbo-jumbo (I'm a college student and that's the best I could come up with?), here is chapter four!

**----Chapter Four: When We First Will Meet----**

_"Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out!"_**-Robin Williams (as John Keating)**_, Dead Poet's Society_

Haley grimaced as she laid her sleeping brother in his bed, glancing up to make sure his nightlight was plugged in. Ricky got really scared without his nightlight.

She stood, once again grimacing at the pain in her side. She had hit one of the tables, hard, and she was sure she'd be bruised in the morning. Making her way to the bathroom, she found a needle sitting on the counter, and she watched it. She wondered what her parents saw in the stuff-she knew it gave some _fantabulous_ high, but it also gave a low that was the equivalent of hell. Why would anyone want that?

The clip in her hair fell unceremoniously to the sink, letting the long wavy hair loose. She quickly stripped off her shirt, fingers glancing over the twin scars she had on her shoulder, where homemade stitches once laid. She had been too tired and too poor to make it to some free clinic to get the lacerations-courtesy of her father-stitched up, so she had poured the cheap liquor her parents kept over the bleeding cuts, downed a couple of shots for herself, and had miraculously sewn pretty straight lines.

She twisted the knobs on the shower, hoping the water was actually turned on and she could take a shower to get all the grime and grease of the diner off her body. She sent a silent prayer to God when hot water started to shoot out, and stripped off the rest of her clothes, stepping into the shower, under the warm water, wishing for a different life.

One like Lucas'. He had a mother who loved him-who would do anything for him. Even though she had two parents, she couldn't remember the last time they did _anything_ for her. Besides giving her a baby brother to take care of.

She loved Ricky-she truly did. But she truly wished her parents hadn't had him, either. She didn't want him to ever get harmed by their cruel mother and father, but he did every day when his parents didn't show up to school plays, or to baby sit.

He was disappointed and harmed everyday, and there was nothing she could do.

She quickly finished with her shower, dressing and going to the pathetic kitchen, wishing she had eaten before she left the diner. Kyle might be a hard-ass when it comes to running his diner, but he would never let one of his waitresses go hungry, especially Haley, who was the youngest of the waitresses, but also the one who was having the toughest life.

Grabbing the nearly-emptied jar of jelly, the bag of bread she hoped hadn't rotted yet, and the small jar of peanut butter, she closed the refrigerator door, setting the items on the cheap counter. She opened the counter drawer, surprised and disgusted to see syringes-thankfully without their needles-amongst the forks and knives.

The food looked delicious, despite bordering on nearly-molded. She lifted it up, wishing she could make it like the Everlasting Gobstopper of food….

And then there came a knock on the door. Muttering a curse, Haley took the PBJ with her, walking toward the front door, only momentarily contemplating who would be knocking on the door at one-thirty in the morning. She figured it was her parents, stoned out of their mind and forgetting their key, or one of their buyers, looking for a product she didn't have.

She barely glanced at the door before unlocking it, frowning when she realized two cops were standing on the stoop. "Can I help you?"

"Lydia James?" One of the cops asked, rolling a paper between his hands.

"No. That's my mother."

"We're with the Tree Hill Police Department, and this is a warrant to search the premises for any drugs or drug-related paraphernalia," the cop replied, handing her the paper. "Can we please come in?"

Haley was reading the paper, the sandwich she was going to enjoy falling from her hand to the dirty floor. She bit her bottom lip when she looked back up. "Do I really have a choice?" The cop shook his head, and she nodded once in affirmation, opening the door wider. "Please try not to wake my little brother. We just got in, and he's really tired."

"Honey, why don't you get him and wait in the living room for us until we're done?" the cop suggested as his partner and four others entered the house. "You two were out really late. What were you doing?"

"I had to work until twelve-thirty, and then I had to go pick up Ricky from the babysitter for tonight," she explained, trying to be as vague as possible as she opened the door to her brother's small room, trying hard not to wake him as she picked him up in a cocoon of his blankets, heaving the heavy weight onto her hip.

"Let me get him for you, sweetie," offered the cop, taking Ricky, despite Haley's weak struggle. "How old is he?"

"Three, but I would suspect you already knew that," she muttered, looking down at the ground as her stomach rumbled. Someone called to the cop-she thought his name was Frank from the shout-and both the teenager and the man looked as the cop's partner came out of the kitchen with the huge white powdery brick of stuff, half--gone from multiple carvings over the last day or so, along with the syringes she had found earlier.

"Care to explain?" The Frank cop asked her, face turning suspicious.

"It's not mine. I don't touch that shit-it's bad for you, especially when you have a little brother and two drug-addicted dealers to deal with." With that one sentence, she revealed more than she had ever wanted to….especially to a cop. Now that meant questions and social workers and placement-and possibly never seeing her brother again.

Oh, God.

**----Struggle----**

"You're lucky you're father called."

"We got in a fight. He didn't need to call-I would have come home eventually."

"Nathan, these streets-they're not exactly the easy side. These are your rough-and-tumble neighborhoods where everyone's in a gang and has their home-boys to protect them. You don't…and you're hurt, and you decided it was a good idea to take a late night stroll. You don't know what could have happened," the cop chastised the teenager as he led him through the station. "Plus, your father said you had taken a couple of pain pills with you-"

"They're gone now. I kinda ate them…that's what happens when you're in pain," Nathan snapped.

"And they would have sold a lot on the streets," the cop commented.

"Nothing I would know about, being from those privileged and established neighborhoods I lived in," Nathan snapped, wondering how far he could go before the cop yelled at him to shut up or to stop insulting his _fine_ town. Instead, the cop laughed, pointing to a desk.

"I know this is a hard time for you, Nathan, but you can't run off every time life gets a little hard-"

A harsh laugh made the cop look up. "A little hard? Try your mother being murdered. Or…I don't know…watching the same murders put a bullet through your step-father's head. Or knowing that bullet was _actually_ meant for you, but your step-father had pissed them off. Go through that and then lecture me about when life gets a little hard," Nathan ground out, eyes glaring at the man.

"Kid, that's bad luck, that isn't a hard life. Look at the kids on these streets-the kids that join a gang just to survive. These kids have a hard life. Yours' just had a wrench thrown in it," the cop said, watching Nathan's fists clinch, wondering if the boy would have the guts to hit him, wondering if he new the repercussions, being from the privileged and established neighborhoods that he said he come from.

"Well, it was one hell of a monkey-wrench, then," Nathan whispered, unclinching the fists, stretching his fingers, trying to calm himself down as a girl's shouts filled the room.

"I told you, they aren't mine! I don't know where they got it, and I don't know who they sold it to! So bugger off and give me my little brother!" A door opened, another cop coming out, clearly reeling from the girl's angered statements.

"Luis, everything all right in there?" Nathan's cop called, a smirk on his face, watching the other cop flash him the bird. "I thought the social worker took her?"

"She was supposed to, but she got side-tracked with the little Stevenson boy upstairs, so now I'm stuck watching _Miss James_. Can you watch her for a couple of minutes? I'm gonna go get her something to drink."

"Sure, Luis. Nathan, you stay here, got it? You're father's on his way, and I'm gonna be in a lot of trouble if he gets here and you…why don't you just come with me. I'm sure the girl could use some company."

"I'm not so sure I'm the company you want her to have," Nathan sniped, sighing loudly as the cop eyed him before standing up, heading to the interview room. An auburn-haired girl sat in a chair on the opposite side of the table, knees pulled into her chest, eyes closed, murmuring something to herself. She looked up as the cop came in, curiosity flashing on her face when she saw the cop point to a chair across from the girl

"Haley, were you able to get a hold of someone?" the cop asked, standing at the door, arms across his chest.

"Where's my brother?" she answered, glaring at the man.

"I'm not sure, Honey. Have you been helpful to Luis?" She rolled her eyes, instead turning to the teenager sitting across from her.

"You're new." Nathan looked up at the words, his eyes narrowing at the girl. "Sorry. You can tell new people in this town."

"I'm not new. My father's lived here for years."

"But you haven't."

"True. You have, obviously."

"I'm gonna get out."

"A lot of people say that."

"A lot of people don't have my drive and my inspiration."

"I'm sure a lot of people say that."

"I'm sure they don't have little brothers that need a better life."

"I'm sure they don't."

"So, you didn't grow up here, but your father lives here. So why are you here?" Haley asked, redirecting the conversation, still completely ignoring Luis.

"My mom died."

"How?"

"Is it any of your business?" Nathan snapped.

"I guess not,' she whispered, giving him a wry smile. "Why are you _here_?"

"I was having....'parental issues.' I got in a fight with my father; we don't exactly see eye-to-eye on everything."

"If it helps, I'm here because my parents are drug dealers and weren't home when the police came to serve the warrant. They made their bed and now me and my brother have to lay in it."

Both stopped talking when the other cop-Luis-reappeared, a can of Sprite and a folder in his hands. Nathan's cop moved him, once again, back to the cheap desk, but Nathan could still feel the chocolate brown eyes boring into the back of his head, even when the door closed behind him.

**----Struggle----**

Dan Scott was furious. He glared at his son as they left, towards Dan's truck, but he wasn't far when he knocked Nathan up the side of his head. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking you were being an ass and I didn't want to deal with it," Nathan answered just as coldly, slamming the door as he climbed into the truck. "And yeah, I might have overreacted, but you-you were an ass."

"I will not be talked to like that, Nathan-"

"Oh, don't start fathering me now. You didn't do it when I was growing up, and you sure as hell didn't do it when I needed you the most. So, don't start now."

"You're grounded. For a month-a year-a damn eternity. You have pushed too far-" Dan shouted, starting up the truck. Nathan shook his head, biting his lip to stop himself from saying something he'd regret. "Please, please Nathan, don't do something so stupid again. I thought you were pretty smart, but this-do you know what could have happened? The gangs on these streets are not nice-and someone as new as you would just be fresh meat for someone."

"I got the lecture from the cop. Next time, I'll make sure I come with a gun. Does that make it better? Fighting violence with violence?"

"I want you to stay out of it-away from it," Dan returned, anger still playing in his voice. "You don't know how these people can hurt you, Nate. How they can destroy you-"

"And I'm not stupid enough to ever find out, Dad. But, stop fathering me! I don't need it!" He grimaced as pain from his side pushed into his brain, but he ignored it,

"How many of those pain pills did you take?" Dan asked as the truck stopped at a light.

"All of 'em."

"When we get home, we'll get you to bed; tomorrow, you don't move from that bed, you understand? Doctor Buchanan said bed rest, not running around Tree Hill on Vicodin."

"Remember that fathering thing…" Nathan commented, giving his father a smirk, his thoughts turning back to the auburn haired girl. "Do you know a girl named Haley…I think her last name is James."

"The little boy with Karen tonight-remember him?" Nathan nodded. "That's Ricky, Haley's little brother. Why?"

"Oh, she was up at the jail. Something about her house and her parents…I don't really know."

"They finally got something on those God-awful people?" He watched Nathan's face scrunch in curiosity, and Dan sighed. "Haley's parents don't exactly deserve the title. Now she can finally find someone who cares about her. Lord knows that girl's been through enough, what with her parents havin' her brother, and her having to get a job to keep that family afloat…"

"I've heard the Reader's Digest version of the story, Dad. I don't need a tear-jerking rendition. So is she trouble? Should I stay away?"

"Probably. But you won't."

**----Struggle----**

Mathew's Academy was a two story building built in the 1700s, full of tradition and blue-blood money, future-vice-presidents-of-daddy's-companies and homemakers in million dollar houses.

Tree Hill High looked like an apocalypse had run through it compared to his previous school, Nathan thought as he shifted the book bag on his shoulders, looking at the name scrawled on his hand-some adviser of some sort, not that he really cared. He was pretty sure the adviser had other things to do than advise a new kid.

Nathan pushed his way into the school, wincing a little as his side was pushed. He was still sore, but the doctor had cleared him to go to school, and seeing as how he'd already missed two weeks and it was nearly November, he needed to get back on track. He avoided the big groups in the crowded hallway, wondering around until he found the office, and finally the office of Geraldine Happers, Incoming Student Academic Adviser.

"How are you this morning, Nathan?"

"Fine. I just need my schedule and I'll be out."

"I was very surprised at your transfer-Mathew's Academy is extremely prestigious-"

"It wasn't a planned change, believe me," Nathan commented, looking around the room. "Classes?"

"You're in all the AP classes you were in at your old school, plus mandatory gym, and an auto class," the advisor said, a sad smile on her face. "Unfortunately, we have a limited number of electives, and this was the only class that wasn't full."

"Okay. Thanks." Nathan grabbed the schedule, standing up to leave.

"And Mr. Scott-"

"It's Lee, and I don't need your advice. Thanks, though." With that he walked out, out of the office, and right into Haley James.

What a way to start the day, he grumbled as he stood up, rolling his eyes and smiling at the sight before him. "Well, well, I see the jailbird escaped," he commented, helping her up, grabbing her bag and the folder of papers she had dropped.

"That makes two of us. You're first day, obviously. You look like a fish out of water," she commented, smiling. "Nathan, right? Nathan Scott…Lee…something…"

"I wasn't aware I told you my name."

"Google…you should try it some time. The local Wilmington paper was extremely informative. You're sixteen, you're father divorced your mother like ten years ago, and, oh, yeah…your mother was murdered in front of you-"

"Why don't you just shut up while your ahead, Haley?" Nathan snapped, making the girl raise an eyebrow.

"Hmm…interesting, very interesting." She shuffled the papers back into the folder she was holding, smiling sweetly at him. "See you around Nathan Scott…Lee…whatever."

"I hope not," he returned, storming off through the dank hall, silently berating himself for running away, and for meeting something like…_that_.

**----end chapter four----**


	6. Chapter Five

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not own OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Note: **this chapter reintroduces what got us to this point: Deb and Aston's murder. Happy reading! Please review!

**Chapter Five: A Monster Inside This Place**

_"We have met the enemy and it is us."_**-Walt Kelly**

"Well, look who we have here."

Haley sighed, giving the gang member a look before turning back to her locker, pushing her hair behind her ear, waiting for him to start again. She was used to this, she kept telling herself. She was used to taking this from _them_.

"You ain't gonna answer me, sweetie?" He was nearly pressed against her, his arms encasing her, making her escape impossible, his breath hot on her neck. He smelled like smoke, smoke and cigarettes and alcohol mixed with a little coke or speed, the cheap stuff like her parents sold. "You're so fine, girl."

"Get off me," she whispered, shoving the last of her books in her locker, reaching for her history notebook when his hand caught hers, forcing her to turn around so that she now had to look at him. "I mean it. Get off of me."

"And here I thought you were enjoying my company, Haley. Like your mom did-when she and your father-" Her hand went out before she could think, and she instantly recoiled as he grabbed her wrist, again, his eyes dark and hateful as he pressed against her, so she could feel him. "You shouldn't have done that, little girl. You shouldn't-"

"Or what? You're going to beat me up? Go for it, dude. Try me," she snapped, her other hand curling into a fist. When he leaned in, she struck, catching the side of his jaw, her leg automatically coming up to knee him. She slipped underneath his bulky body, her eyes closing when he grabbed for her and his hand ended curled in her hair, pulling her back to him.

"You shouldn't have done that, either, Haley." He slammed her back, into the set of lockers, and it was then, as she struggled to remain focused, that she saw everyone looking at her, at him, at them. "You and me are gonna go to the bathroom, have a little _fun_-"

"HEY! Leave her alone!" a male voice called, big hands shoving the gangster, a big body standing in front of Haley. Dark brown hair, broad shoulders, and muscled arms protected her now, the body radiating hate and anger.

"This ain't your bitch, is it? Miss Haley James gone and gotten her a _jock_ as a boy toy?" the other guy called, laughing.

"I suggest you get out of here before I beat your ass to the ground," her knight ground out, taking a step towards the gangster. "I said leave her alone and get out of my sight!"

"Oh man, wait 'til I got my boys with me and then see if you're so brave!" the gangster called, finally turning to leave her alone with her savior and the stunned audience of kids in the hallway.

"Why do they do that?" Nathan Scott asked, turning around so she could see his face. She turned from him, back to her locker. "Haley-"

"Because they can!" she exclaimed, taking out a notebook. "Because they know they can get away with it, because the teachers are too scared of them to do anything."

"But why you?" Nathan asked, resting back against the lockers beside hers', eyes watching her. "I mean, is it because of your parents?"

"In a way, yes. My dad used to deal with them-give them a discount for their protection, shit like that, and one of the things they got to think they got was me."

"He sold you out?"

She shrugged, closing the locker. "I guess. He didn't really see much past the drugs, so it shouldn't surprise you, not really."

"You want me to walk you to your next class?"

She laughed, whipping her head back to look at him. "Hot shot, you're the one who should be walked-you're on their radar now." She paused, letting out a breath as a slow smile crept onto her face. "But, sure, you can walk me to my next class."

**----Struggle----**

The tip wouldn't enter her skin.

She kept poking, pushing ratty blond curls from her face as she prodded the top of her skin with the needle, but it would never work. Why wouldn't the damn thing just go in, dammit!

She tossed it, hearing the plastic break as it hit the tile of the bathroom wall, and she pulled the small, clear baggie to her, her fingers raking it for the last of the precious substance, the last she could inhale, ingest, something…she just needed it.

"Peyton?"

Bugged-out, red-rimmed eyes looked up, into the mirror, a brunette-haired girl staring back at her, taking a step to her, brown eyes beginning to tear. "Peyton-" she said again, one hand raised as if in surrender. "It's me. It's Brooke. Peyton you remember me."

"Remember skies, remember sunshine, rain on a cloudy day. No bitch, no whore, no slut like you."

"Peyt, that's the drugs talking. We were best friends for twelve years! We were-"

"Best friend is guy who supplies baggies. Don't know about you."

"You're being incoherent, Peyton. That damn drug is making you crazy!"

"Brookie, help me." The brunette nodded, stepping forward, and Peyton let her wrap her arms around the girl, let her think that's the way. "Brookie….Tigger…please."

"Of course, Peyt, of course-"

"Need more now, all out of money. Please can you help?" Brooke jerked away, her tears stopping.

"Money? You want money for drugs and you think that I'm stupid enough to give it to you? I'm not dumb, Peyton; you need help, you need to get away from this addiction, and you need it before you spiral out of control. Let me help you with that. Please."

The door opens, and Brooke turns to glare at the girl who walked in. "Oh, it's you," she snapped to Haley. "Of course it's you."

"What's that supposed to mean, Cheery?" Haley sniped back, barely giving Peyton a glance as she walked to the mirror, setting her books on the counter. "You're friend a little too much for you to handle?"

"No thanks to you," Brooke replied, raising her eyebrow.

"You accusing me of something? Cause I didn't give her the drugs, and I didn't force her to take them, and I didn't collect the money for them, so this-her-is in no way my fault. Maybe you should look in the mirror for fault and for a person to blame."

"HALEY!" Peyton screams suddenly, crossing the room to cling to the girl.

"Um, Peyton, I'm not your friend. Go see Brooke. Go shoo!" Haley whispered, pushing the girl away, groaning when the girl just clings tighter. "Brooke, get her."

Brooke's face has almost broken out into a smile, and she shook her head. "Why should I? This is just-"

"Because she's pressing against bruises that I just got and if she doesn't stop I'm gonna beat the shit out of her."

"What?" Brooke murmured, pulling her friend away. "Are you okay?"

"It's funny you should ask now, considering we're not friends." She shakes away the anger, almost as if it is as tangible as her clothes, and sets a smile on her face. "I'm fine. Damien just got a little rough." She's lifting up the back of her shirt, and even halfway turned, she can see the dark bruises beginning to form. "Dammit."

"Damien? Why does he bug you so much? I mean, we all know he's a perv, but…he's constantly all over you."

"It's my dad. Made a deal with them, and apparently I'm part of the pretty package, and apparently he thinks it applies. Don't worry, I have my very own knight in shining armor in Nathan Scott."

"As in Lucas' Nathan?" Brooke asked, and Haley quickly shook her head. "Lucas' mom's boyfriend is Nathan's father Dan. Nathan has a father named Dan, right? He just moved here?"

"Yeah, that'd be Nathan."

"Brooke!" Peyton whined, and the other girls glanced at her, then back at one another. "I'm hungry."

"Listen, I'll help you get her to the nurse. She should be able to give you some places that can help her."

"Why? Why are you doing this for me?"

"Because I'm not heartless, and I'm not cruel, and if anyone should know what it feels like to watch someone whither away from drugs, it's me, and you shouldn't have to. So…I'll help." Brooke nodded, silently saying a thank you for the new friend she might have found.

**----Struggle----**

Nathan was sitting by himself in the cafeteria, the same routine he had been doing since he started at this place, pushing the rubbery food around each section of the Styrofoam tray. He had a book beside him, closed, and he was more intent to simply stare at the tray than anything else.

He felt the shove from behind, and he grimaced, using his hands to brace himself on the table. "You thought I wouldn't be back, didn't you?" Damien called, reaching out to push him again. Nathan grabbed the wrist, jerking the kid forward, his face smashing into the table. One of the other gang members grabbed him, pulling him out from the table, punching him.

He grabbed the collar of the guy's jacket, returning the punch for another punch, ducking the fist swinging at him.

Except that there were four more of them.

He groaned, especially when someone kicked his already sore chest, and waited until the beating was done. He would have tried fighting if it was against two or three, but six guys was a little much, even for him.

In the hallway outside of the cafeteria, Brooke was running for Lucas, hurried, upset. "Luke! Come on!" she called, the other few students in the hallway looking at her. "Damien and his gang are kicking Nathan's ass!"

"Great!" Lucas said, exasperated, shoving his bag in his locker, shutting it, and heading after Brooke. He went headfirst into two of the guys, aiming for their knees. Four against two were much better odds than six against two. He grabbed the guy nearest to him, leaning in to knee him in the abdomen, sparing a glance to Nathan, who was dragging himself up, taking care of one of the other gang members.

"Break it up!" a security officer yelled as four of them poured into the cafeteria, pushing through the crowd towards the lopsided fight. He got ahold of Nathan's collar, wrapping his arms underneath Nathan's arms, jerking him away.

"All right, all right, you can let me go!" Nathan called, trying to jerk away. "I'm fine, I'm fine-it hurts."

"Stay over there!" the officer yelled, and Nathan nodded, using his thumb to wipe blood from his lip. One of Damien's crew came at him, and he backed away, shaking his head. He caught Lucas as he was sent over, thanking him with a nod.

"You okay?" Lucas asked.

"I'll be fine. You?"

"Oh, these are just fun," Lucas replied with a smile. "It's always good to beat up Damien, put him back in his place."

"Thank you. You didn't have to-"

"No, I really did. My mom likes your dad, and I'm hoping one day he'll become my dad, which means you'll be my brother in a messed-up sort of way, and to not have your potential brother's back is really bad karma, so, I really did."

"You think she likes him that much?" Nathan questioned as they were shuffled to the principal's office, biting his bottom lip. "I mean, I knew it was serious, but that serious?"

"Uh…yeah," Lucas replied, as if the question was dumb. "She thinks about him all the time, and when she's not near him, she wants to be. She wants to stay over, but we can't because I can't stay, even though I told her that if she wanted to go, I could stay at home. And she's always thinking about what's going to make him happy-dinner, movies, dresses, everything. I caught her buying his favorite food, and a bag of dog food. We don't own a dog."

"Well, if it helps, he's looking for a bigger house so he can ask her to move in."

Lucas stopped walking, his breath hitching. "Move in?"

"Three bedrooms-so we can all live in peace and happiness," Nathan returned, looking down as the officer yelled at them to keep moving. "I've never had a brother."

"Well, neither have I. It's been me and my mom…and lately Dan…for three years. I don't know if this will work. I don't even know if I like you."

"And yet you'll fight with me. That's comforting, really." He sat where the officer pointed, glaring across the way at Damien.

"Why was there a fight, anyway?"

"What?"

"If I got in trouble for a fight, I need to know why there was one," Lucas explained patiently, and Nathan shook his head.

"They were missing with Haley earlier-well, Damien was. And I kinda chased him off, and he threatened me with the whole gang-" breath of uncaring out-"and I guess he seized his opportunity when I was alone."

"You eat lunch alone? That's kind of pathetic."

"Well, not all of us have lived _here_ forever," Nathan snapped.

"Don't start a fight with me, Nathan. You won't win. I beat up little rich kids…all day long-"

"Nathan Scott! Lucas Rowe!" They smiled ruefully at each other, their conversation forgotten as they went to face the music.

**----Struggle----**

Haley sighed as she waited for class to begin, trying to avoid Brooke's glances and waiting-albeit impatiently-for Nathan to come to class. Despite what she had said to him beforehand, about her being irritated and annoyed at him, it was nice to have someone in the class that could hold a semi-coherent conversation.

"He and Lucas got in a fight," Brooke whispered. Haley turned her head, eyes wide. "Damien went after him with like five other guys, and I went and got Luke, so…they're kind of in trouble, so it looks like it's just you and me, Druggie Girl."

"First off, don't call me that. I'm not a druggie, and I've never tried drugs. Second off, there's no you and me. I'm one of those independent workers, you know?"

"You're being a real bitch-"

"Just my nature," she interrupted, smiling when the door open and a bruised Nathan walked in, apologizing to the teacher before taking his seat. "I thought you were in the principal's office."

"Been there, done that."

"And how did you managed to talk your way out of that?"

"I told him I was simply defending the honor of a young lady."

"And he believed that? He's a bigger idiot than I suspected," she whispered, opening her notebook as the teacher began talking. "Thank you."

"Well, someone had to defend your honor."

"Not in this town. This…"

"You forgot that I didn't grow up in this town. I didn't grow up with this ill-defined set of rules and morals when it comes to certain things, so…your town rules don't really apply to me." She giggled, catching herself before someone else heard her. Haley James didn't giggle. Haley James didn't associate with jocks and white knights. It just didn't happen.

Fifty excruciating minutes later, they were free for the day, free from the worries of school, now free to head to the worries of life. "So, what's going on with you know? Where are you living?" Nathan asked as they walked back to their lockers, Nathan automatically taking Haley's books for her.

"Um…my boss, actually-Kyle Walker. He's a good man, and…it's good, a good deal for me," Haley answered. "I don't have to worry about Ricky, and I don't have to worry about my job and paying bills and rent and…"

"So it's a good deal all around," he summed up for her, grinning as she shoved him.

"And you? How's everything with your dad?"

"Uh…it's coming. It's slow and painful and…hard-to-figure-out, but it's nice to know that I'm going to have a parent home –or someone I can get in contact with-when I get there. There was never that security with my mom and her…friends."

"That is nice," Haley murmured, laughing. "Brooke Davis talked to me today."

"I don't know who Brooke Davis is."

"She's the brunette that sits behind me in class. She, um…yeah, she talked to me. She never talks to me. She thinks that I'm the one to blame for Peyton, but I'm not."

"She's Lucas' friend."

"Or girlfriend, whatever."

"So why does it matter that she talked to you?"

"Times are changing here at Tree Hill, Nathan. Rich boy's here, my parents are gone, and…it's changing."

As they left the school for the parking lot, each for their own separate guardians to take them home, neither notice the off-brand 80's boxy beige car watching them as they walked.

"We have a visual."

**---End Chapter Five----**

So, now we have other players: Peyton, the druggie, and Brooke, Lucas' kinda-sorta girlfriend, and our mysterious friends that are after Nathan. Hopefully a new chapter will be out soon.


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not owning OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_ Song at the end of the chapter is _with me_, by Sum 41. Go listen.

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Note:** So this chapter annoyed the hell out of me. I erased my first idea for it, my second, my third, and finally came up with this. It started with a school shooting, turned into a small gang initiation, turned into a gang fight and a guy after nathan from his mother's killer (but that's coming up later, so I didn't want to spoil it), and finally turned into this, which I like much more than my other ideas. It puts my characters in a good place for the next chapter, and I hope you agree.

Also, a note on my updating system: It's erratic. I've decided to postpone updating a new chapter until _after_ I finish writing a chapter; i just finished chapter nine, so I'm posting six. Unfortunately, that _also_ means that I don't know how long it will be in between posts. I'm sorry for this, but this will help me with the chapters because I know I can only upload _after_ I've finished. The story will be fourteen or fifteen chapters long (I haven't decided yet), and, for the most part, the plot is...well, for lack of a better word, plotted out. Hopefully, that means this story will be done by the end of May or early June.

Please, read and review. I enjoy them, whether critical or not. Also, please remember that this is an **AU** story, which means it does **not** follow the story line and that the characters may seem a little OOC.

Thanks for putting up with my long, long spiel. And now, without further adieu, the chapter:

**Chapter Six: Got a Funny Little Feeling (so kiss me)**

_"Fear is a question: what are you afraid of ? And why?"_**-Marilyn Ferguson**

"You got in a fight?" Dan yelled as he opened the front door, tossing his keys in the tray by the door, heading towards his son's bedroom. "Why in the-"

He was talking to an empty room. "Nathan?" he called, heading towards the kitchen. The door to the bathroom was closed, and Dan sighed, knocking. "Nate…"

"Go away!" came the faint reply, and Dan opened the door. Nathan was sitting in front of the sink, a bloody towel pressed against his side. "Dad-"

"C'mon, let's get you up," Dan answered instead, helping him stand. "You didn't think about going to the doctor?"

"I wasn't hurting so much then," Nathan said, letting his father pull him out to the hall way. "It ju…st started when I tried to do my ribs."

"Okay-can I look?" His son nodded and carefully Dan ran his hands down Nathan's ribs. "I don't feel anything wrong. I'm just going to wrap them and then let me look at your face, okay?"

"I didn't start the fight. He was messing with Haley, so I…and then he caught me off guard. I didn't even get in trouble," Nathan explained, his voice strangled and harsh. "Sorry, Dad."

"We'll talk about this later," Dan said, touching the bruise on his cheek. "What happened?"

"I got punched. It happens." Dan nodded, grabbing the rubbing alcohol and the cotton balls, soaking one, pressing it against a cut in the bruise. "God, that stings."

"It's supposed to," Dan informed him, examining his knuckles, raw and cut up. "What in the hell did you do?"

"I was defending myself."

Dan gave an imperceptive nod, washing the knuckles with the alcohol. When Nathan tried to jerk it away, Dan pulled it tighter. "No. You did this, you live with the consequences," he snapped, and Nathan once again attempted to get out of his father's reach. "Nathan, I'm not going to hurt you, but either I do this now, or we go to the ER and have them do it."

"All right, all right." He held out his hand again, and Dan wiped at it again with the alcohol. "It hurts, Dad."

"I know, son. Just let me finish up and I'll get you some Tylenol." His voice had softened, almost to the tone it was when Nathan had been in the hospital. "I hope she was worth this."

"She was," Nathan assured his father. "She's…she's a good friend for me, Dad. She's…"

"She's not good for you, Nathan. She's the daughter of a drug dealer-"

"She's my only friend in this place! Well, before today. Today, I think Lucas became my friend…and Brooke. It's a little weird…they're a little weird.'

"You and Lucas weren't friends beforehand?" Dan asked, his curiosity peaked.

"Dad, just because you and Karen are in love and everything doesn't mean me and him are close. We have…close to nothing in common, and we don't know each other, so no, we weren't friends. I don't even know if we are now, but, he likes you, and I don't want to make it awkward." Nathan winced again as Dan wiped the cuts again, lifting the hand to see the shallow pools of blood in the light. "Plus, he came to my defense against those guys, so…"

"You two do have stuff in common, by the way. A lot of stuff." Dan stopped talking then, focusing solely on the cuts, leaving Nathan to the many thoughts spinning in his head.

**----Struggle----**

Haley groaned as she heard Ricky crying, pushing off of the bed and dragging herself out of her room, not bothering to glance at the time as she headed across the hall. She knew it was late; all the lights in the house were out, and she didn't want to wake up Kyle and Sarah, to make them angry enough to kick her and Ricky out.

She opened the door, a whimper coming out of her as she approached the screaming baby. "Sssh, Ricky," she murmured, pushing her hair out of her face as she reached the other down, letting him grab onto it. "It's okay. Go back to sleep, please. I need sleep, baby."

He looked at her with wide eyes, and the bottom lip quivered, and the wailing began again. She sobbed, quietly as possible, picking him up, letting him wrap his legs around her waist, his arms around her neck, his weight too much at this early hour. She bounced him gently, wincing as his chubby hands pulled her hair.

No, she needed to be strong.

"Hush little baby don't say a word," she sang, willing her tears to dissipate. "Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turns brass, Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke-"

"Haley?" a male voice questioned, and she jumped, putting a smile on her face as she faced Kyle.

"Hey, I'm sorry about this. He's normally not…"

"Why don't you let me take him and get back to bed. You've got school in a few hours, don't you?" Kyle said, taking her brother. She let him go, watching Kyle smile at the boy as he moved to the rocking chair Sarah had bought.

"I tried to keep him quiet," Haley explained, not really sure how he would take it.

"Sarah thought she heard him; we didn't want you to wake up. Obviously-"

"I can take care of my brother, Kyle. He's not your responsibility." She was offering him an easy way out, an easy way to just say no to this whole thing.

"He shouldn't be yours', Haley. I don't mind, and neither does Sarah. We've always wanted a child, and we've never been able to have them, so this…this is perfect. So, I'll put him back to bed, and you go to sleep-we'll get you up in the morning."

"You don't have to," she mumbled, turning to leave.

"What are the bruises from?" She stopped, biting her bottom lip as she heard him rustling around. "Haley, who hit you-"

"No…no one hit me. One of the jackasses at school got a little carried away and pushed me a little and I hit the locker. I'm okay."

"Some guy at school is messing with you and you're okay?" Kyle's voice was low, and she was scared to look at him, even though he was standing behind her. "Haley, that's not okay. Someone messes with you, kick his ass."

"Oh, I didn't need to. My knight in shining armor came up before I could do anything and put a rest to it. For now at least."

"He pushed you-some gangbanger, I bet. Someone who knew your parents," Kyle guessed, and Haley nodded, finally turning.

"I'm fine now, Kyle. I could have handled it if I had had to. I'm not going to let anyone like Damien push me around, you should know that. I won't let anyone push me around," she whispered, giving him a lopsided smile. "You don't have to do this you know. It'd be a lot easier for you if you just…forget this, all of this."

"No, Haley. We've made our decision, and we want you-both of you-here. So you just get used to letting someone else, the adult, be the parent for once," Kyle returned. "Now go to bed and stop worrying about your brother. We're fine here, aren't we, little man?" Ricky smiled, reaching up to touch Kyle's face. Haley smiled, leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

She'd actually get a good night's sleep. Finally.

**----Struggle----**

"My dad doesn't like you." Haley looked up as Nathan sat across from her in the cafeteria before the morning bell rang, tossing her a blueberry muffin. She looked at it questioningly, and he shrugged. "Looked like you needed it."

"I can afford one if I wanted it, Nathan," she replied, and he shrugged, again.

"I know, but Dad gave me more money than I needed, so I decided to share my wealth."

"I don't need you to protect me or look out for me, Nathan. I can do it myself-"

"You're my friend, Hales; right now, it looks like you're my only friend. Don't take that away from me." He had desperation in his voice, and she struggled to stop from feeling…_something_ for him.

"What about Lucas? About Brooke? You're good looking, Nathan, and you could be popular. What about them?"

"What about them? Lucas is…my dad's girlfriend's kid and Brooke is…Brooke is…"

"Totally stealing that muffin if Haley doesn't eat it," the bubbly brunette exclaimed as she sat beside Haley, who pushed the muffin to her. "What are you working on, Druggie girl?"

"Brooke, I thought we talked about me kicking your ass for calling me that," Haley responded, turning the page of her notebook, glancing back at her book. "It's History. Cranson's talking about the effects of the Revolutionary War on the United State's economy, and I'm behind in my reading."

"You have Cranson too? What period?" Nathan asked, pulling her book away from her even as she protested, grabbing for it. "These books are sad. I remember at Mathew's, our books were brand new each year-"

"Mathew's can also afford new books from that enormous tuition they charge," Haley commented. "And I have him in fifth."

"You're missing chapter six-and part of seven." He looked up as Damien entered the room, glaring across the vast space at their table. "I have a feeling I'm on their hit list."

"I think you're right, hot shot. So, we heard tell that you played ball at Mathew's. You know Lucas is on the team here, right?" Nathan's face scrunched in confusion, so Brooke continued. "You know that if you talk to Whitey, you could totally be on the team, too, right?"

"That's a whole lot of rights," Haley interrupted, grabbing the book again.

"Brooke, I got out of the hospital two weeks ago-I don't think I'm going to be playing basketball anytime soon. And, I don't know if I want to play it this year-I think I just want to sit back, relax, enjoy my year, concentrate on my grades…"

"Be boring," Haley added helpfully, finally looking up. "Why would you want to do that? The basketball team's halfway decent, and if you're good, you might actually have a shot of being popular sometime soon."

"I'm fine with being not popular," Nathan informed them both, watching them send smiles to each other. "I thought you two weren't friends."

"We're not," Haley said quickly, stealing half of her muffin back. "But we are both just looking out for your best interests."

"Um, my best interests probably wouldn't include hanging out with either of you, and yet, here I am."

"Why me? What have I ever done to you?" Brooke complained as Haley reached over and smacked the bruise on his face, making him recoil.

"Hey, I got that for defending you!"

"Well, maybe this will prove I can take care of my damn self!"

"Yes, because you were totally taking care of yourself with Damien, letting him walk all over you-"

"Okay, you two, stop it! Stop it!" Brooke said, and Haley slammed her book shut, standing up. "Where are you going? Haley, come back-"

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to this dumbass insult me," she snapped, stalking away. Nathan sighed, watching her walk away.

"I didn't mean it like that," he whispered, looking at Brooke. "I really didn't mean it like that, Brooke. I didn't think-"

"She's had a hard life, Nathan; she would have-"

"I know, okay? I know she's had a hard life and I know she knows that I didn't mean it."

"I don't think she does," Brooke whispered, biting her lip. "Honestly, I don't-"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Brooke. I'll handle it."

**----Struggle----**

Haley scrubbed at the stain on the bar, watching the second hand tick slowly. Kyle hadn't wanted her to work, but she had insisted, and she finally made a bargain with him to take her books with her and study.

But she couldn't get her mind off a certain tall, blue eyed brunet that had yet to come apologize.

"Miss, my plate has been sitting there for several minutes," an older woman whispered, pushing at Haley's arm. She looked up, seeing the plate, and nodded absently.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Let me just go get that for you," Haley murmured, heading to the counter, grabbing the plate. She set it in front of the woman, giving her a smile. "Can I get you a refill? Anything?"

"No, dearie, I'm okay," the woman replied with a smile. "And whoever he is, seems like he's worth it if you're fretting over him like this."

"I'm not _fretting_ over him! He's totally not my boyfriend." _But I wouldn't mind if he was_ Haley could hear her mind saying, and she ignored it, focusing on the pepper-haired, wrinkly woman, who was twisting a worn wedding band.

"I was married to my Frank for sixty years before he passed-we got married at twenty, and I still remember that look-the one you just had-as he broke up with me the first time, right before he left for the War. We stayed broken up for two years, and I suggest you don't let that happen to you-it's bad, and you'll miss him terribly. Especially if he's done enough to deserve _that_ look," the woman said, patting Haley's hand. "They pass earlier than you, you know? Men just…they don't have the strength of us women, and it shows. So, hold on to him tight, love him dearly… "

"Ma, are you aggravating my waitress?" Kyle called, and the two women turned.

"This is your mother?" Haley asked, looking back to the woman. "How are you so cool and he's so not?" The woman laughed, a wide smile on her face.

"It's because I'm a woman," the older lady whispered, patting the table across from her. Haley looked at Kyle, who nodded, and she set her coffee pot down, joining the woman. "I'm Elizabeth, by the way. All my friends call me Lizzie. And you're Haley…you're my sons live-in."

"Live-in? I'm not-"

"He talks about you in our conversations-about your parents. How anyone could do such a thing to their children?"

"It's a complicated matter, Lizzie. My parents have been users since before I was born; I was very lucky not to be born…with problems."

"They shouldn't have put you in that position," Lizzie stated, motioning to her son. "I think Haley needs a drink. A coke, I think. Yes, dear?"

Haley nodded, surprised when Kyle sighed, returning to get her drink. "Fifteen minutes, Hales, okay?" She nodded, taking a sip of her coke.

"So your parents, they're druggies?" Haley bit her lip, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah. They've always been-as long as I can remember."

"My father was an alcoholic-left over from his years in the first World War. My mother-it was the time, and she was supposed to be submissive…so she was. He yelled, he screamed, he smacked her around sometimes, and she just stood there and took it. I didn't though. I didn't want him hitting me, or my little sister and brother."

"You were a lot like me," Haley whispered, and Lizzie nodded.

"I met Frank when I was sixteen; we were in high school together, and when he graduated, it was the first night we kissed. He went to college, to Duke, and I stayed at home, and I visited him every weekend.

"Then the war started, and Frank wanted to serve. I didn't want him to go, not with I had heard about it, about the European men dying…I begged him not to join.

"He didn't listen. We fought over it, and the month before he left, we broke up. I was devastated, clung to the slim hope he would come home. He didn't for two years."

"It must have been hard, worrying and-"

"I gave him _that_ look-the one that you've reserved for that boy of yours'. I'm just sayin' that some things are better to let go; some things are worth that much," Lizzie whispered, and Haley nodded. "I'll be checking up on you, Haley James. I want to see that boy with you soon." The older woman slid from the booth, waving until she caught Kyle's attention. "This one's a keeper, son. Don't let anything happed to her or I'll throw you over my knee!"

"All right, Ma! I'll see you next week!" Kyle said warmly, watching the older woman walk out, shaking his head at the young family sitting at the counter. "That woman is crazy, let me tell you! When I was a child, she tried to make me eat asparagus in radish sauce. How disgusting is that?" A chuckle broke out from their lips, and Haley shook her head, retreating behind the counter.

The look-was there really such a thing? A look of love even though she could count the number of days she had known the kid on her fingers.

No, she didn't possibly love him. She didn't even _like _him.

Hell, she didn't like anyone.

This was just all so confusing, and it was starting to give her a headache.

**----Struggle----**

"So you're basically like the biggest douche known to man now," Lucas informed Nathan as they chopped up vegetables for his mother's chicken, their separate Friday night plans put on hold because Karen wanted to make dinner and Dan had insisted they all be there.

"And the bad thing is that I don't know why. It's not like I meant it, and she knows I didn't mean it, and I just don't see what's so absolutely-"

"You hurt her feelings. Told her that people could just walk all over her-how do you think that made her feel? You are the girl's _only_ friend, and here you are telling her that she couldn't do any thing without your help. I would have laid you out," Lucas answered, pausing to feed Austen some green beans. "What do you think they want?" He nodded to the back, where Dan and Karen were grilling. "Impending engagement-"

"Move-in?"

The teenagers looked at each other wearily before returning to their work, the silence that hung in the room awkward and long.

"You are an idiot, by the way. You should just apologize," Lucas said after a minute, and Nathan grinned as he looked down at his cutting board.

"You think?"

"Anyway, Brooke said I was supposed to ask you about basketball. Why would my sometimes-sorta-girlfriend want to know about basketball?"

"Um…what the hell is a sometimes-sorta-girlfriend? And Brooke's crazy. She heard a rumor that I played and is being a brat about it-and if you dice those peppers any smaller we're not going to have anything but mush to put in!"

"My mother taught me to dice like this. I don't know what yours taught-" The knives stilled instantly. "I'm sorry, Nathan. I didn't mean anything by it…I'm-"

"Just tell Dad I'll be here for dinner, okay? It's okay…I just-" he winced away as Lucas tried to touch his arms, holding up his hands. "Just-I'll be here for dinner."

Lucas watched the teenager's door close before setting down his knife, heading for the backyard. "Um…Dan? I think we have a problem."

Dan and Karen both looked at him, anxiously. "He's upset. I said something-I wasn't thinking and I said it and now he's in his room. He-I didn't even think about and I'm sorry and-"

"What did you say, Luke?" Dan asked him gently. "I just need to know what you said."

"I didn't mean it-"

"I know, but I-"

"We were joking about the peppers and he said something about dicing them and I told him that's how my mom taught me and I didn't know what his mother taught him and it all slipped out and I just-I wasn't thinking."

Dan nodded, handing Karen the grill spatula and heading inside. Lucas turned to his mother. "I didn't mean it."

"We know, kiddo, but Dan's got to focus on Nathan when he's like this. You aren't going to be the only one to say something like that, and you probably aren't the first. Just give them some time, okay? He's not mad at you, and believe it or not, neither is Nathan." Karen rubbed her son's back, kissing his cheek. "He'll be okay. Why don't we finish getting dinner ready?"

Dan knocked on the door to Nathan's room, waiting a couple of seconds before opening it. Nathan sat on the edge of his bed, a picture resting against his hands. "She didn't ever teach me how to dice, like Karen did. To be honest, she wasn't that great of a mother," Nathan murmured, a small smile fixed on his face. "She was an awful mother, you know? She cared too much about her boyfriends and not enough about her son, but…she was all I had, and I miss her."

"He didn't mean anything by it, Nathan. He would intentionally…"

"I know. I just…I know I'm gonna hear it day-to-day and that stuff is going to happen, but I still…I just need a little time," Nathan finally decided, looking at his father, unsure. "That's okay?"

"Of course, Nate. Just…just call me if you need anything." Nathan nodded, leaning back against his bed , his eyes focused on the picture. He heard the door close, and all of the sudden he just had the urge to see her….to make amends with her.

_Thank God for the window_.

**----Struggle----**

He ran to the café; he had a general idea of where it was, but he ran so he could see her before she left. It was drizzling, nearly raining, and he prayed the storms stayed away until he could get this done. He needed to get this done.

She was walking away, her back towards him, and he stopped, a clap of thunder making his confidence fade, but he opened his mouth, and he couldn't help the words that fell out.

"I didn't mean it."

She stopped walking, but didn't turn around. "I'm tired, Nathan. It's been a long night, and I-"

"I didn't mean any of it. I don't care what my Dad says. I want to hang with you-if I didn't, I wouldn't be here. I don't think you can't handle everything that gets thrown at you; I know you can, I know you mo re than can. I also know I didn't mean it. And I know you're expecting this grand apology and I'm just not delivering it, but uh…I didn't mean for you to take it like that…for you to think that, that I was too good for you or that I was judging or something. I'm not. I came from some fancy prep school and some fancy house, but I'm no better than you, okay? If anything, you're too good for me."

"It's raining, Nathan. It's raining and I'm out in it having to listen to you and your…_inane_ apology. Do you think it sounds apologetic? I'm tired, and wet, and this is not the best time to be doing this," Haley shouted, turning to face him as the light rain turned drenching, hard pelts that bounced off the ground, back to their clothes.

"You're beautiful in the rain!" he yelled, offering her a smile as she shook her head. "I know it's not what you want to hear, but…it's the best I got. It's the best this snobby kid from the right side of the tracks can give to this…gorgeous creature from the wrong side, because he doesn't care what anyone thinks-they can all go to hell. It's you and me, and that's enough. So please just-"

"Just shut up, will you?" She asked softly, indecision racking her mind, her face, her teeth firmly planted in her bottom lip. She made a decision and smiled, nodding.

She pushed up, feet soaked in the puddle, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

And she kissed him.

_In front of your eyes, it falls from the skies,  
When you don't know what you're looking to find.  
In front of your eyes, it falls from the skies,  
When you just never know what you will find._

_I don't want this moment to ever end.  
Where everything's nothing without you._

**----End Chapter Six----**


	8. Chapter Seven

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not owning OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course.

**Author's Note:** So, this is what's going to happen with this story: I have up until chapter nine written, and I am going to post one every Sunday until I run out. After that, we're just going to have to see what happens, okay? I'm really sorry, but it seems like with story, I have all this inspiration one day, and then it's all gone the next. Hopefully, I will come back to this story after I finish _Change_, but we'll have to see. Thank you to all who have stuck with me, and I'm so sorry about this, again, but it happens sometimes.

Thank you all for your reviews!

**Chapter Seven: It Doesn't Only Happen on Gossip Girl… **

_A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous-_-**Ingrid Bergman**

He froze, hands halfway between her neck and his sides, eyes opened, looking at her auburn hair, at the raindrops soaking into it, darkening it.

She pulled away, just slightly, her eyes on his until they focused on his hands, still halfway up, still unsure. "What are you-" she murmured, and he shook his head, his hands finally burying in her hair, the slick strands wrapping around his fingers, pulling her closer.

"Kissing me, huh? I thought you were angry with me," he whispered, taking a single step back. "Not angry with me anymore?"

"I don't know," she replied, smiling, her hand coming down to his cheek. "Why did you come here?"

"I…you're my only friend. My _only friend_. Do you know how sad that is? I pissed off my only friend-so I had to make it up to you," he said, surprised when she cut him off again with another kiss, but this time, his hands were ready. They didn't just dawdle in midair, but tightened in her hair, feeling the wetness of raindrops and silkiness of auburn tresses surround them, and each one pushed her closer to him. Her lips were soft, softer than what he had imagined, and he sighed as he found the comfort to kill the pain of Lucas' comment in his heart.

He pulled away in disgust as he thought that, her strands twisting around his fingers, making her whimper in pain. He looked away, mortified, and brought his hands to his face, surprised to see tiny strands intertwined around them. "I'm sorry."

"What for? What is it this time, Nathan? I thought we were progressing here! Isn't that what we're supposed to be doing?" She was shouting again, pushing him. "I thought-"

"I shouldn't be kissing you. You deserve a lot more than me using you to forget my mother. I'm sorry." He turned, ready to leave, to erase the humiliations and shame he felt, but he stopped when he felt her hand on his back. "Haley-"

"Your mother? Is everything all right?" she whispered, turning him back to her.

"Haley, it's raining-"

"You said I looked beautiful in the rain."

"You're also going to catch cold out in it."

"So, what? If I will, you will, and so we can be sick together," she insisted. "Your mother-"

"Was a bad woman. You know, she shouldn't have been a mother. She really shouldn't have. She drank too much, wanted to have fun and party and not be tied down to me. When she was married to my dad, he tried to calm that inner party child, and it…it never worked."

She stayed silent, her hand reaching out to touch his cheek, giving him a smile. he kissed her fingers, taking a breath. "But, she was murdered, you know? It doesn't matter if I loved her or not; she was murdered and I need to…mourn her, pretend I loved her and everything. But Lucas said that about having a mother teach you, and I got so upset, but it was mostly because I couldn't remember my mother ever teaching me anything like how to dice freakin' peppers."

"This is all about peppers?" Haley whispered, a smile lighting her face. "You miss her because of peppers?"

"I miss her because she never taught me about peppers, like Karen did for Lucas. I miss her because she didn't encourage me to pursue both academics and sports, like Dad does. I miss her because she couldn't find a steady husband to save her life, like Karen. I miss her because she was the epitome of a bad parent and didn't ever care to change," he answered, pushing rain-slick hair off his forehead, where it was plastered there, reaching out to do the same for her. He laughed, and she looked at him, her eyes full of questions and confusion.

"You're a crazy one, aren't you? You get me out here in the rain, make me kiss you and don't kiss me back, and then you totally tell me it's because of your mother, and when I'm being so nice and patient and hearing you out, you laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing at you," he promised, grabbing her hand, pulling her to him, leaning in and kissing her soft. "I promise. I-my mother was absolutely awful, wasn't she?"

"I'm not really a person to judge, Nathan, seeing as how my mother was a drug dealer who left her three-year-old son with her sixteen-year-old daughter, so I don't have the best model."

She stopped, looking up at him. "I don't know if we should have kissed. I think we're taking things out of order."

"Taking things out of order? Haley, we took the train from the first stop to the last with no stops in between," Nathan mumbled, wondering if she heard him.

"So, I'm gonna go now, and I'll talk to you in the morning at school, okay? Then, we can discuss this," she returned, moving to walk away, but stopping mid-step, turning back. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him for one last, mind blowing kiss.

It was their hands wrapped in each other's hair, it was their lips pushing against one another, it was their bodies pressed as tight together as possible…it was the reality of what was their future.

**----Struggle----**

He was soaked when he stole back into his room.

Dan was also waiting for him.

"Uh-oh," he murmured, taking the towel his father was holding. "I went to see Haley."

"You needed to do that right before our dinner?" Dan asked, eyebrows rising. "I think Karen was hurt."

"I had to, Dad. I'm sorry."

"No, you aren't. You're sorry you got caught. Get redressed, and get to the table. We're waiting for you," Dan said softly, standing up. The door closed, and he smiled broadly, pulling at the soaked shirt.

It took him ten minutes to get back to the kitchen, where Karen setting the food on separate plates. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he stopped by her, taking the plates. "I know…I needed to see her."

"Who is this girl, again? I think Dan might have mentioned her in passing, but-"

"Um…Haley James. I said some things to her a couple of days ago and-"

"My Haley, huh? She's a sweet girl; you made a good choice," Karen said, kissing his temple. "We just needed a little drama for dinner. Thank you for helping me set the table."

"No problem, Karen. And…you know I like you, right? I mean, you're nice, I really do like you, and I know I can't or I won't show it right now, but…someday, I will. Someday, I'll be able to show you how much I actually like you-"

Her smile widened, and she wrapped him in a hug, kissing his cheek. "You are a sweet, sweet boy, Nathan; our little family's gonna be lucky to have you included. Don't let anyone tell you different."

He nodded, setting the plates down, heading back for the other two before taking a seat across from Lucas. "I'm sorry," the other teenager said, and Nathan shook his head.

"Lucas, you didn't say anything someone else wouldn't have said eventually. Stop worrying about it."

"You sure?"

Nathan nodded, focusing on his food. The chicken looked delicious, and he could find the stuff that he actually prepared. It made him happy to see that Karen actually used it, that she didn't just shove it to the side like it didn't matter.

"Karen, this looks delicious," Dan murmured, looking at his son, who nodded.

"Well, the boys helped. They did a good job, didn't they?" Karen replied, smiling at both of the teenagers, who in turn raised their heads, grinning.

"Oh, and you had time to do that before traipsing around Tree Hill with Haley?" Dan said, eyebrows raised, and Nathan nodded, grinning. "If you get sick-"

"I'm not gonna get sick," Nathan assured them, smiling. "And even if I do, it's worth it."

**----Struggle----**

"I have to go to work now."

Nathan looked up from his schoolbook, nodding to his dad. "I thought you didn't have to work tonight."

"I wanted to pick up an extra shift. You have stuff that we need to get for school, and if you're going to play basketball-"

"I'm not going to play basketball, Dad," he murmured, closing the book. "Who told you? Lucas? I mean Brooke had some crazy idea about it but-"

"Lucas didn't tell me anything, Nate. I assumed, because you love basketball. I know Whitey, and I know he'd give you a chance-"

"Would it make you happy if I went? If I asked about it?"

"Would it make you happy?" Dan countered, and Nathan shrugged. "Then think about it, Nathan. You love that game-you love how that game makes you feel. You deserve to play what you love."

"I'll think about it, Dad," Nathan promised. "You won't be back until late?"

"Yeah, kiddo. I'm sorry about this. Get to bed at a decent hour, okay?" Nathan nodded, surprised when his father leaned in to kiss his forehead. "I'll check up on you when I get in. Have a good night."

"You too, Dad." Nathan watched his father go, hearing the front door close softly, the lock click in place. He reached down to pet Austen, searching out an answer in the dog's soulful eyes. "I don't know either, buddy."

He wasn't sure about basketball, about how it would feel with it there, another part of his life, something different than what it was before. Before, it wasn't an escape, and it wasn't fun-it was a job. It was _his_ job, the one thing he had to do to prove his worth to his mother and Aston. It was the cancer in his side.

Dan suggested playing ball for fun, and Nathan wasn't certain that basketball would ever be that for him. When he was younger, it was, but as he got older, as it brought him accolades and awards and _importance_, it became less of _his _sport, the sport he loved, and more of a duty that he just hung his head and did.

Austen whimpered, laying his head on the bed, and Nathan smiled, eyes watching through the window as the lights of Dan's truck filled the night, and the engine rumbled once before it took off. Nathan vaguely thought he saw the lights of another car, but he shook his head, turning back to focus on the dog looking up at him expectantly. "What, boy? What's wrong?"

Well, besides Nathan's whole screwed-up life.

**----Struggle----**

Detective Dan Cormer knocked on the front door of the Scott's small house, biting his bottom lip as he heard the heavy footsteps of boots against the wooden floor, the scampering of a dog somewhere behind them. "Austen, sit," he heard Nathan's muffled voice say, and he took a step back as the door was unlocked and pulled open. "Detective Cormer?" Nathan asked in a whispered hesitance, pressing himself against the wall so the detective could come in. "Can I help you?"

"You're not looking too good," The detective murmured, nodding to the fading bruises that had resulted from his fight with Damien. "Everything all right here?"

"What?" Nathan paused, thinking about the statement. "Oh, yeah, no, I got these at school. I got in a fight. With a gangbanger. Over a girl," he finished awkwardly. "Listen, my dad isn't home right now. He's working his EMT shift and then he's got to go to the bar, so if you needed something from him, you might-"

"I'd actually like to talk to you, if that's alright. I contacted your father earlier and he said if you had no objections, I could." The kid nodded, and Dan smiled, opening the file in his hand, pulling out two black and white photos. "Do you recognize these people?"

"Um…yeah. The fat one is Murphy Anderson and the guy in the three-piece suit is John Vernon, Sr. Why?"

"Your stepfather had a meeting with them three days before he died. That night, he called this number-555-657-9032. Do you happen to know who that belongs to?" Nathan shook his head, biting his lip. "You remember something?"

"Not much, but the night before the attack, I came home from basketball practice early and heard him in the office. I'm not sure who he was talking to, but he mentioned some fraudulent accounts that one of his clients had been using to siphon money from his company."

"Do you know which client?"

"Aston and I weren't well known for our father-sonness, so no, I have no clue. I tried to avoid home as much as possible."

"What about your mom? Did she mention anything…?"

"My mother was more concerned with filling her closet with the newest name brands than confiding with him over his business-dealings. As long as the money was there for her to spend it, she didn't ask about work."

Dan nodded, looking at the kid. It was hard to believe that a few weeks ago, he was curled in a pantry, knife in hand, ready to strike at anyone who came close to him. He wasn't scared of being anywhere close to another person, and the bruises he sported, though there were many, were almost a symbol of pride more than anything. "So, you doing okay, kid?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, you're adjusting well and all, right? Father's treating you okay? School's good?"

"Everything's fine, detective. As good as can be expected, at least. Dad and I are cool, and school's….school. Why do you ask?"

"Because you're special, kid, and you've been through more hell in the past months that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy, and for that you deserve to have better."

"I have it, don't worry. Now, was that it-just the questions about the pictures? Because I'm working on a paper and I was kind of in the groove and now-"

"That's it, Nathan. Hopefully, with the new information you gave us we should be able to find our mysterious businessman. You have a good day, okay?" Nathan nodded, watching the man stand up and head for the door. He sat there awhile after the detective had left, pondering those pictures, the importance of John Vernon, Sr, and Murphy Anderson in his stepfather's and mother's murders, before standing to lock the door. As he did, he missed the beige car parked across the street, the same one from the school. He missed the burly guy shutting off a cell phone, his gaze returning to the Scott residence for another day of spying.

**----Struggle----**

"So she kissed you?"

He wasn't sure how he got on this topic with both Brooke and Lucas sitting at the lunch table, but somehow now it was all Brooke wanted to talk about, which faintly annoyed him.

"For the ten-thousandth time, yes. She kissed me. In the rain. Multiple times, in fact," he muttered, sneering at the grin that crossed Lucas' face. "Hey! I thought you were on my side!"

"This is just funny," Lucas replied, eating another piece of the 'hamburger' of questionable origins. You would think that his mother could at least provide him a decent lunch, but she insisted that he needed to enjoy the school food cafeteria workers had so lovingly made.

Yeah. the. hell. right.

"It's just so _surprising_. I wouldn't think Haley had it in her at all," Brooke interrupted their side conversation, snagging some of Lucas' fries. "So, anything since then?"

"Not a peep, not a word, just…nothing. I haven't even seen her since then. I was, however, visited by the cop of attacks' past." Both Lucas and Brooke looked up, and he smiled. "Dan Cormer. Cop who kinda…found me after the attacks. He had some pictures."

"Pictures?"

"They're not sure who killed Aston or my mom, and they're not sure why. They might have a lead," Nathan answered simply, as if that solved everything. In truth, he had stopped thinking as Haley James walked into the cafeteria, scanning it before her eyes settled on him. She stayed on the other side of the large room, biting her lip in apparent indecision before he made up her mind for her, standing, striding over as his two friends watched his back move farther from them.

"Hi," she murmured as he stopped in front of her, her eyes flicking to and fro, almost positive the whole cafeteria was watching them.

"Hi." He paused. "You didn't call."

"I didn't know I was supposed to."

"You kissed me in the rain two days ago and you haven't done anything since."

"I didn't realize it was my responsibility."

"It wasn't, but I thought-"

"You thought wrong."

"Then the kiss meant nothing?"

"The kiss meant everything."

"How could it mean everything yet you didn't follow through?"

"Maybe I was hoping you would."

"But I didn't know that, Haley. How was I supposed to know that?"

"Because you just are. Because if you like someone, you don't wait for some signal or some sign. You just…you go for it."

"You just go for it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, and she nodded.

"You just go for it."

He leaned in, pulling her towards him as their lips touched, words escaping both of them as logical thoughts left their heads, too absorbed in their kiss to notice the whole cafeteria listening and watching in awe and surprise (and glee, if you were Brooke, but only Brooke…well, maybe Lucas was mildly gleeful). He felt like he was in one of those cheesy girly tv shows, like _The O.C. _or _Gossip Girl_. Instead, Haley pulled him tighter and _all_ thoughts left.

So this was heaven.

He could get used to it.

**----fini seven----**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Summary:** When his world falls apart, Nathan is thrown into a new life that might just kill him. With estranged family and new friends surrounding him, will he be able to survive?

**Disclaimer:** I am a poor starving college student. I do not owning OTH or anything related to it except my own, poor pitiful little plotline. Please don't sue. _Comprende?_

**Rating:** What do you think? T, of course, for mild language and some innuendo to a blow job. If you can't handle it, then don't read.

**Author's Note:** So, this chapter felt a little flat to me, and it's another kinda transitioning one with a touch of Naley-ness to fill that out. I'm trying to bring back the Deb/Aston Murder-it's important-without losing Haley and Nathan, and I hope it's coming out all right. Hopefully, the next chapter will be better.

**Chapter Eight: Transitions into Oblivion**

"_Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me."—_**Carol Burnett**

"They might be close to finding out about us, about what happened." The fat man in the cheap gray suit turned to John Vernon, Sr., the smoke of his cigar filling the empty space between the two. "We don't know what that boy holds in his head. I've got men who can take him out-"

John Vernon, Sr., scoffed, sipping the brandy out of his crystal shot glass, raising an eyebrow. "Take him out? He's a teenager; he doesn't know anymore than back-handed comments that were picked up from eavesdropping. If anything, he'll need to be contained for awhile, but I will not have another death of an innocent life on my hands. Deb was too much as it is."

"He could ruin us, John. He could ruin this whole firm, don't you see?" Murphy replied, taking the cigar out. "And I'll be damned if I see the inside of a prison cell again."

"The kid can't tell the cops anymore than he knows, and since we know that he and Aston weren't close how much information can he truly possess? He's no threat."

"Even so I think we should-"

"I don't pay you to think, Murphy. I pay you to do my bidding. For the moment, I want him left alone. As long as he is inconspicuously tucked away in Tree Hill, leave him be to live his life."

_For now_, Vernon thought, focusing on the live camera feed of Nathan Scott on the high school basketball court, an old man in front of him. _When I hit you, kid, you won't even know what's coming._

In Whitey Durham Field House, the namesake himself stood before Nathan, watching the kid take a breath before stepping up to the free-throw line, pausing again, then shooting, smiling in satisfaction as the ball circled the rim once before sinking into the net. "That's number twenty. In a row. I saw your stats from Mathews, and they're good-really good," Whitey Durham said, watching the ball fall into the net for number twenty-one. "Lucas said you weren't ready to play yet. Looking at your face, I tend to agree."

"Got in a fight with Damien West," Nathan replied, wiping sweat off his face with the back of his hand. "But before that-I got shot. So no, the doctor won't clear me right away. But…I can play eventually…"

"Nathan, I can't do eventually. What you need to do is go see the doctor, see how long it'll be before he'll clear you. Come and talk to me after that, and we'll work something out," Whitey said, handing him the basketball even as the kid looked at him in disbelief. "I want you on my team, Nathan, don't get me wrong. But I need a healthy you on my team, and you are obviously not healthy."

"I understand. I can't go until next week-that's when I get the stitches out…"

"All right, Nathan," Whitey murmured. "Come see me next week, then." Nathan nodded, smiling to the basketball.

He nodded, exiting the gym quickly. His father was waiting for him. It was thundering again in Tree Hill, and Dan didn't want him to walk home in the rain, risk getting sick. Nathan had reluctantly agreed, only after Haley had told him that she was getting a ride from Kyle to work.

He threw his bookbag into the back of Dan's truck, giving his father a tight smile as he climbed in, Dan turning the radio and the heat down. "What did Whitey say?"

"Come see him after I've had the stitches taken out," Nathan replied, his fingers traveling over the ripped knuckles on his left hand, the neat little stitches holding skin together as it healed.

"Are you going to?" Dan asked, his voice quiet and soft, letting a smile crawl onto his face as Nathan nodded. "Good."

"I kissed Haley James."

"That's an awkward segue."

"I'm surprised you know the word," Nathan teased, a nervous grin crossing his face. "I kissed her twice-in the rain that night I…took a break before dinner, and yesterday in the cafeteria. I don't need you to like this, to like her, but I need you to say you understand and you accept."

"And if I don't?"

"I don't know…but Dad…"

"She's dangerous, Nathan. Her parents-"

"That's the key word there, isn't it? Her parents. Her parents aren't her, Dad. She isn't them. She doesn't sell drugs. She doesn't condone them. She works her…her ass off to take care of her little brother, and all she has to show for it is a town of parents who disapprove, cops that think she's lying, a little brother who is essentially an orphan now, and a guy who really likes her and doesn't care about that other crap, but his father isn't going to accept her so he isn't going to waste her time on it. So I really need you to say that you accept and that you understand. Please. It's four little words."

"I…" Dan paused, foot hitting the brake as the light in front of them turned red. "Bring her for dinner on Wednesday. How does that sound? I won't make any judgments until then."

"None?"

"None. I give you my word, Nathan. Bring her over, let me have a decent conversation with the girl, and then I'll tell you what I think. How about that?"

Nathan nodded, biting his bottom lip. "Okay. Yeah, that's…okay."

Dan ruffled his short hair, his smile widening. He enjoyed making his kid happy, making him _like_ being in Tree Hill. If all it took was meeting some girl, Dan would be glad to oblige.

**----Struggle----**

"So, I was thinking this weekend you could come to my house and we'd have a girl's night," Brooke told Haley as she sat her books beside the girl at the table, smiling when Nathan handed her a muffin. "What do you think?"

"A sleepover with _you_?" Haley questioned, raising her eyebrow. "Why in the hell would I ever do that?"

"C'mon Druggie girl! You'll have fun! We can paint each other's nails and watch girly movies and gossip about boys…" Brooke whined, and Haley turned to face Nathan, who was trying his damnedest to keep his face blank. "I want you to come! Please!"

"Brooke, I'm not one of your cheerleader friends. And how many times do I have to tell you not to call me Druggie Girl? _ I do not sell drugs. I do not do drugs_," Haley snapped, opening her own muffin. She had been surprised when it was presented to her after she sat down across from Nathan. When she started to question, he had raised his eyebrow, grinned, and kept on doing his homework.

"Come over on Friday, and I'll stop calling you Druggie Girl," Brooke bargained, her smile stretching into a devious grin. "C'mon! It's a fair deal! Twelve hours of Brooke-time and no more Druggie."

"Brooke, I'm going to Nathan's tomorrow night. I don't think Kyle's going to let me have Friday night off," Haley said, looking over to what Nathan was writing. "No, that's not right. George Washington crossed the Delaware, not the Potomac in December 1776. He crossed the Potomac in-"

"Thanks, Haley, but I figured that out for myself about ten minutes before you got here. Just haven't fixed it yet," Nathan commented, and she smiled, watching as he marked out his answer and put the correct one. His own muffin was gone, and she swore one of these days she was going to get to the table earlier, get the muffins earlier, give him one.

One day when she didn't work morning shifts.

One day when she didn't rush for an _hour _before work to make sure Ricky was up, dressed, ready to go, even though Kyle and Sarah both tell her that they have it. They don't, because it's not their responsibility.

Or at least she's making sure that they have no excuse to kick her out because she's skimping on her responsibility.

"Earth to Haley!" Brooke called, shaking the petite brunette beside her. The girl looked at her, confused, and Brooke sighed. "Friday night? You'll ask Kyle?"

"Yeah, sure, but I don't think he'll let me."

"Well, as long as you ask," Brooke replied, surprised when her blond sometimes-boyfriend slipped in beside Nathan. "Lucas."

"We weren't expecting you," Nathan added, giving the other guy a wave.

"Well, I figured if Brooke thinks you lot are okay, I can stand to be seen around you. Plus, Damien's kinda eyeing this table and I figured he might think twice about saying something with the two guys here that kicked his ass," Lucas answered, nodding to the table two rows down, where Damien and the rest of his crew was watching them. Nathan grinned and raised his middle finger, quirking an eyebrow. "That was not smart. I thought you were a smart kid."

"He pisses me off," Nathan murmured, turning back to his work.

"That's due in about ten minutes, you realize that, right?"

"Well, if everyone would kindly _shut up_, I could work on it," he muttered, flipping to the next page in the book. "Haley, what was the date of the surrender at Yorktown?"

"October 17th, 1781. Cornwallis sent out a drummer with a white flag," she answered.

"I'd hate to have been that drummer," Lucas commented.

"I'd hate to have fought all those years under that leader just to realize he was cowardous enough to send out a drummer to end a war," Nathan returned, writing down his last answer, shutting the book. "So, Dad said something about he and your mom going to Raleigh for a few days. You know anything about that?"

"Uh, no?"

"Well, isn't this cute," Damien's harsh voice came, and all four looked up with equal glares of hate and disgust. His hand came to rest on Haley's shoulder, and she flinched, shaking her head at Nathan as his hands tensed into fists. "Baby, the boys want a blow."

"Then I suggest you do it yourself," she snapped, looking at him evenly. "That's what your good at, right? That's what it says on those bathroom walls on the second floor."

He pulled her back, sending one of her books flying, smashing into the ground with a thud, causing the crowded cafeteria to look at them. His hand went around her chin, gripping her mouth tightly, his other into her hand, trying to push her down, down to her knees, to…

Brooke had casually picked up Haley's forgotten schoolbook, and saw fit to whack him across the head. Blood spattered the front cover from a cut on his forehead, and she smiled in satisfaction. "I suggest you leave my friend alone and go back to your boyfriends over there unless you want this book shoved up where the sun doesn't shine," she snapped, pulling Haley back to the table. Nathan had been on the move since Damien grabbed Haley, and now stood in front of her, a solid wall protecting her from the storm of Damien.

"Stay away from her," he barked, shaking his head. "Are you _dumb_ or something? I hit you last time for touching her! What makes you think I won't do it now? Especially now?"

That touched her. _Especially now_. Now what was she? His girlfriend, his…?

"I was thinking girlfriend was the appropriate word," Nathan whispered, and she realized she had been thinking out loud. "But if you don't want to…"

"To what? Be your girlfriend? It's something I got to think about, hotshot. I mean, you didn't ask me or anything…"

"I kissed you in the middle of lunch yesterday. I thought that was more than appropriate," he replied, ignoring Damien for a minute. "Do you want me to ask you?"

"It'd be nice. At some other point in time, though, because it wouldn't be a surprise now."

"So what are we? Who are we?"

"We're…we're Nathan and Haley. We're working it out," she answered, leaning in to kiss his temple as the bell rang. "C'mon-we have class." She spared one pitying glance to Damien as she took Nathan's hand, and together they left.

**----Struggle----**

She was nervous as she stood outside the Scott residence, her hand pressing her skirt down, pushing hair behind her ear, looking around worriedly, back to the car Kyle had let her borrow. She couldn't believe he had said yes. She couldn't believe he had handed over the keys willingly, couldn't believe he had told her to have a good time and given her that knowing smile.

She knocked on the door softly, hearing a dog bark and footsteps approach, the door unlatching, an older gentleman opening the door. "Haley, right?"

"Yes sir. You're Nathan's father," she stated matter-of-factly, and he nodded, opening the door wider.

"Come on in. He's a little bit nervous-I think this is the first time he's done this. He's still in his room," Dan said, giving her a smile. "This is Austen, our dog."

"He's very cute," Haley commented, looking at the closed door. "Can I go in?"

"Sure. Tell him to hurry up. I don't have all night for him to get styled right." She laughed, knocking on the door before opening it. Nathan stood next to his bed, looking at two different shirts: A white button up and a black polo.

"You know, you take more time than a girl to get ready," she whispered, and he jumped, turning to look at her, bug-eyed and all. "Wear the button up."

"What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be here until eight and it's….eight ten. Oh, shit…sorry."

"It's okay. I just got here a minute ago-Kyle let me take his car and I seriously drove like five miles an hour down here," she answered, reaching behind him to pick up the white shirt, holding it out to him. He slipped his arms in, beginning to button it as she came around to his front, popping the collar before settling it down. "You look nice."

He paused, hands on the last button, blue eyes cautiously trailing from her face to her shirt, a dark purple tank that tied at the shoulders, sleek to her body until it hit a white skirt that flowed out to just past her knees. She was wearing a black peacoat, but it was unbuttoned. "You look gorgeous," he murmured, and she smiled shyly, head looking down to the ground. "I mean, you always look beautiful, but you look flawless tonight."

"I wanted to make a good impression," she admitted, glancing up, her smile widening as she caught his eyes. "I don't meet parents very often."

"He'll like you, I swear," he promised, finally managing to slip the last button in. "I like you, and he wants me happy, so he'll like you."

She nodded, snagging his hand, allowing him to turn her and watch the skirt spin. "Are you ready, sir?" she inquired, and he smirked, nodding.

"And you, milady?"

"But of course, dear sir. I was simply waiting for you."

Dan watched them walk into the living room, one of Nathan's hand's entangled in hers', the other trailing through Austen's hair. Nathan was talking quietly to Haley, pointing out things here and there, so Dan figured he was showing her what was left to see of the house. He set the rolls on the table before turning off the spaghetti noodles. He dumped them into the strainer, rinsing them with cold water before returning them to the pot, adding the garlic and butter as Karen had instructed.

He had called Karen before he had suggested this little meal, asked her what she thought about it, and was surprised when she went off on him for not automatically liking Haley James. He had forgotten Karen worked with her, that Karen knew her situation better than a lot of people. It took him a while to calm her down, but when he did, he got to explain that to him, Haley James was associated with two people who _did _sell drugs and give the town a bad name, and that he was trying to change that association, if only because Nathan was taken with her. And then he asked her dinner recipes that he could cook.

"So, Haley, you and Nathan are in class together?" Dan started, something simple, something easy that wouldn't offend. She smiled easily enough, looking down at her food before looking back up.

"Yes, sir. We have a couple of classes together," she answered.

"She's smart-the valedictorian," Nathan added, giving his father a look. "She could have easily gotten into Mathew's, Dad. She's brilliant."

"What's your favorite subject?"

"AP Lit. We just finished _The Great Gatsby_, but I've read that before. I had the same teacher, Garemen, for Honors Lit last year, and he introduced me to Hemingway, Steinbeck, Dickens…I absolutely love the class. However, I think Nathan's more of the emo-loving Salinger type," she answered earnestly, smirking at Nathan as one of his eyebrows rose.

"Lucas' favorite author is Steinbeck," Dan said, and Haley nodded.

"He's not my favorite, but he's decent. I prefer Jane Austen; who doesn't dream of a Mr. Darcy in their lives?"

"Elizabeth Bennet is one of a kind as well," Dan answered affirmatively, and she smiled. "Nathan named the dog after Jane Austen."

"Nathan, how very feminine of you," Haley quipped, looking at the lounging dog. "Did your dog come with you from Wilmington?"

"No. Dad got Austen for me as a Christmas present four years ago." She nodded.

"I wanted a dog, but my parents couldn't take care of me and I was forced to take care of Ricky, so I couldn't. At one point in time, I will," she promised, eating some of the noodles. "Mr. Scott, you're a paramedic, right?"

Dan nodded. "I used to really want to be a doctor or a nurse."

"And now?"

"I'm not sure yet. I really like lit, so I wouldn't mind being an English teacher. But, there's no money in that, so then I was thinking business, maybe finance, but, I figure I still have awhile to find my path."

"Got a particular college in mind?"

"Duke would be optimal, but UNC's great too. Anywhere close to Ricky; I couldn't just leave him with Kyle and Sarah. They've already done so much for us."

"That's who you're living with now? You're boss, right?" Haley bit her lip, wondering how she should approach the topic.

"Yeah, that's them. Kyle's been really good to take us in. I was…you know, it's gets overwhelming for a kid."

"I bet. You know, I was prepared not to like you, and I'm sure Nathan told you my concerns when he said he might like you," Dan started, and Nathan dropped his fork, glaring at his father.

"You're going to start this now?" he snapped, shaking his head. "Really? Dad-"

"I like you, Haley. You are smart, responsible, beautiful-everything that I want my son's girlfriend-or whatever-to have. Nathan, shut your mouth now, before you dig yourself into a big hole." Haley smiled at Dan, then at Nathan.

"I feel like I should be making the _you like me, you really, really like me_ speech, but, I feel it's a little overdone," she responded, looking back down at her food. "I've never worried about parents liking me before, and, if I am being honest, I really didn't care what you thought, either, but, thanks. I-someone's parents approving of me makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

_Oh, yeah_, Dan thought, _she was definitely going to be a handful._

**----Struggle----**

"I'm sorry about that-the whole third degree thing. If I thought he was going to do that…" Nathan trailed off, staring at their interlocked hands as they sat in the backyard, in the swing, Austen laying on the deck, watching them.

"Don't worry about it, Nathan. My parents aren't here, so someone's has to do it." He laughed, his eyes not leaving their hands. "Though, if you ever come over to meet Kyle, he might more than make up for the fact that my parents are a no-show."

"That doesn't scare me," he whispered, finally looking at her. "To have to face Kyle-it doesn't scare me at all."

"Okay…" she murmured, and he shook his head, using his fingers to tilt her chin up. "Nathan…"

"Be my girlfriend."

"Nathan-"

"I'll meet Kyle. I'll protect you from freaking Damien. I'll carry your books and walk you to class and take you on dates and I'll make you forget for once that you don't come from the perfect family. Please, be my girlfriend."

"Is this how you asked out the others, whatever others there were? With an emotional plea?"

"No. But, you aren't like the others, and-I want you more than I wanted them," he replied honestly. "So, will you be my girlfriend?"

"You don't mind my past?"

"My mother was murdered. I'm in no position to judge."

"You don't mind my kid?"

"He's sweet, and he's not your kid."

"You don't care that I might not be going anywhere in life?"

"You're going somewhere; I wouldn't care if you weren't, though."

"What if I said no?"

"Please don't."

"I wasn't planning on it."

He smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Good."

**----End Chapter Eight----**


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